. After all, this Christmas, an estimated 100,000 young people and children in the UK will spend the day in care or in other temporary accommodation. One advert isn't going to materially change their lives, but at least it is kick-starting an overdue conversation. It starts off low-key, a middle-aged man trying, and largely failing, to learn how to skateboard. A long-suffering wife smiling supportively as her husband returns home with yet another injury. They go to a few parties, decorate a tree - so far, so standard. Then the doorbell rings. We see a girl clutching a skateboard. She looks hesitant to enter until our hero gestures towards his own skateboard and a sprained wrist; it becomes clear that she is their new foster daughter. When I first watched it in the John Lewis boardroom, I had a lump in my throat. I recounted the story to my husband and he had the same reaction - perhaps we're both suckers for a big reveal and midlife dad kindness. But this is a well-pitched message for a year when nobody wants much of a commercial hard sell. 'I found it emotional,' says Rachel, who grew up in care and is now an Action for Children charity campaigner. 'The fact that the foster dad took the time, even at work, to take her interest [skateboarding] into consideration was amazing. The ad portrays t){kind=link}
After years of saccharine storylines and too much CGI snow, the brand has actually produced a moving campaign this year
It is difficult to imagine French intellectuals having a passionate conversation about a Monoprix ad, and even the angriest American commentators don’t seem to care much about Walmart’s on-brand festive messaging. In Britain, however, we debate the highly-anticipated John Lewis Christmas ad as a vital sign of the health of the nation.
It’s an odd quirk of this country – but at least this year we can analyse a genuinely good advert. After years of saccharine storylines and far too much CGI snow, John Lewis has released a moving campaign that takes the novel approach of highlighting the importance of investment in the care system (rather than simply getting us to buy more stuff).
After all, this Christmas, an estimated 100,000 young people and children in the UK will spend the day in care or in other temporary accommodation. One advert isn’t going to materially change their lives, but at least it is kick-starting an overdue conversation.
It starts off low-key, a middle-aged man trying, and largely failing, to learn how to skateboard. A long-suffering wife smiling supportively as her husband returns home with yet another injury. They go to a few parties, decorate a tree – so far, so standard. Then the doorbell rings. We see a girl clutching a skateboard. She looks hesitant to enter until our hero gestures towards his own skateboard and a sprained wrist; it becomes clear that she is their new foster daughter.