Every November for nearly two decades, John Lewis has delivered Christmas adverts that set the tone for the festive season. With 2025’s “Where Love Lives”, the brand returns to the roots of what made this tradition so powerful — storytelling, emotion, and a tangible hook — while refreshing it for today’s audiences.
The emotional core: nostalgia + realness
Where many past Christmas ads leaned on magical stories, quirky characters, or whimsical fantasy, 2025’s spot takes a more grounded, human approach. A father on Christmas morning clearing up wrapping paper, a vinyl record as a gift, and memories of youth triggered by music — these are intimate, relatable details. Instead of spectacle, the campaign trades on quiet authenticity: music becomes a vessel for memory, for lost time, for reconnection.
That simplicity is precisely why it works. By tapping into universal feelings — regret, longing, nostalgia, love — the ad resonates deeply. The data backs it up: according to DAIVID, the ad generated “intense positive emotions” for more than half its viewers, marking it as the most emotionally engaging Christmas spot by John Lewis in nearly a decade.
Music as the emotional bridge
Music has always been key to John Lewis Christmas ads; but in 2025, it becomes the spine of the narrative. The choice of “Where Love Lives” — a 1990s club anthem — immediately triggers nostalgia among older audiences, while the reimagined, slower version by Labrinth helps anchor the emotional tone and bridge to the present.
By choosing a song that might have soundtracked the youth of many parents now in their 40s and 50s, John Lewis cleverly layers generational memory over present-day family dynamics. The result: a gift that isn’t just a vinyl record — it’s a time machine, a memory capsule, a silent “I love you.”
Storytelling over selling — with a subtle product tie-in
True to form, John Lewis doesn’t thrust its products front and center. Instead, it tells a story — a two-minute emotional arc — and lets the product (a vinyl record, turntable, living-room moment) serve naturally as part of the narrative. The campaign’s tagline, “If you can’t find the words, find the gift,” elegantly underlines the insight: people often struggle to articulate feelings — but a thoughtful gift can do the job.
That said, the campaign isn’t neglecting commerce entirely. Limited-edition vinyls are sold via Rough Trade at John Lewis; there’s a full omni-channel rollout with social clips, behind-the-scenes content, out-of-home, print, radio — all feeding the campaign above and beyond the core video.
Lessons for Advertisers & Marketers
If you work in marketing — whether retail, e-commerce, or brand building — there’s plenty to learn from “Where Love Lives”. Here are a few takeaways:
- Emotional authenticity trumps spectacle. You don’t always need fantasy, CGI, or over-the-top production — emotionally honest, human stories can generate deeper connection, especially around emotionally charged seasons like Christmas.
- Use music as a bridge across generations. A carefully selected track can wake dormant memories, strengthen emotional resonance, and broaden appeal across age groups. Music is a powerful cultural touchpoint; used well, it can articulate what words cannot.
- Gifting as emotional expression. The campaign reminds us that for many, gifts aren’t transactional — they’re symbolic: expressions of love, regret, gratitude, longing. Advertising that recognizes and uses this insight can tap into deeper motivations than price or convenience.
- Integrate across channels — but let storytelling lead. The campaign blends traditional media (TV, OOH) with digital (social, behind-the-scenes, app-exclusive content) and retail (vinyl for sale), delivering a seamless ecosystem. But all of it is built around one core emotional idea, not disjointed tactics.
- Don’t forget long-term brand building. According to the brand’s own statements, this ad isn’t just about Christmas sales; it’s about reinforcing identity: John Lewis doesn’t just sell products — it enables connection, emotion, shared memory. That long-term framing ensures the campaign outlives the season.
What This Means for the 2025 Holiday Marketing Landscape
The early release of the advert — on 4 November — signals a shift. As reported by several outlets, retailers are launching their holiday campaigns earlier and earlier, aligning with Black Friday and early-gift buying behaviors.
In a year where economic pressures affect many households, and gifting budgets are under scrutiny, emotionally resonant campaigns like “Where Love Lives” might carry more weight than ever. Instead of pushing premium price points, they offer emotional value — nostalgia, reconnection, meaning — which may resonate more during tight times.
Moreover, by leaning into physicality (vinyl record, analogue moments, in-store retail), the campaign subtly pushes back against digital saturation. It reminds audiences of the unique value of tangible objects, shared experiences, and offline rituals. In an age of digital everything, that kind of tactility has power.
Final Thoughts
With “Where Love Lives”, John Lewis and Saatchi & Saatchi have delivered more than just another Christmas advert: they’ve crafted a cultural moment. It isn’t bombastic or flashy — it’s soft, human, nostalgic, and achingly familiar. Music becomes a trigger for memory, a vinyl record becomes a vessel for emotion, and a quiet father-son embrace becomes the centerpiece of the holiday story.
For marketers, the campaign underscores a timeless truth: the strongest campaigns aren’t always the loudest — they’re the ones that make people feel. And while tactics and channels evolve, emotional truth remains the bedrock of great advertising.