In our household, the John Lewis Christmas advert seems to be the official starting event to Christmas. Every year, the retailer attempts to deliver a heartwarming story that captures the spirit of Christmas and inspires millions of viewers. This year, the John Lewis Christmas advert features a mischievous Venus flytrap named Snapper, who becomes the perfect ‘Christmas’ tree for a young boy named Alfie.
The Meaning of this year’s John Lewis Christmas Advert
The 2023 John Lewis Christmas advert, titled “Snapper, The Perfect Tree”, is a story of how new traditions can be made if we embrace them with love and joy. The advert shows Alfie, who plants his own Christmas tree from a seed he bought at a local market, hoping to grow a beautiful fir. However, he is surprised to discover that his seed has sprouted into a carnivorous Venus flytrap, who he names Snapper.
At first, Alfie is disappointed and scared of Snapper, who snaps at him and his family. He tries to hide Snapper from his parents, who are busy preparing for Christmas. However, as he spends more time with Snapper, he realises that Snapper is not a monster, but a friend. He feeds Snapper flies, plays with him, and even sings to him. He also notices that Snapper has a festive flair, as he grows red and green leaves and sparkles in the light.
Alfie decides to make Snapper his Christmas tree, and decorates him with baubles, lights, and a star. He then invites his family to see his creation, and they are amazed by Snapper’s transformation. They accept Snapper as part of their Christmas celebration, and join Alfie in singing a song to him. The advert ends with the slogan “Joy to all of your worlds”, and a voice-over by Andrea Bocelli, who sings the original song “Festa” (meaning “party” or “celebration” in Italian) that was written and produced for the campaign.
The meaning of the John Lewis Christmas advert is to show that Christmas is not about having the perfect tree, but about finding joy in the unexpected and creating new traditions with the ones we love. The advert also celebrates the diversity and uniqueness of every family, and encourages us to be open-minded and inclusive of others who may be different from us. Snapper represents the new and unfamiliar, who may seem scary or strange at first, but can become a source of happiness and wonder if we give them a chance.
How does the 2023 John Lewis Christmas Advert Compare to Previous Years?
The John Lewis Christmas advert has been a tradition since 2007, when the retailer launched its first festive campaign with the tagline “Whoever you’re looking for this Christmas”. Since then, the John Lewis Christmas advert has become a cultural phenomenon, generating millions of views, comments, and parodies online. The John Lewis Christmas advert is known for its emotional storytelling, featuring characters such as a snowman, a penguin, a dog, a dragon, and a man on the moon, who overcome challenges and find love and friendship during the festive season.
The 2023 John Lewis Christmas advert is different from previous years in several ways. It is the first time that the John Lewis Christmas advert features a plant as the main character, rather than an animal or a human. It is the first time that the John Lewis Christmas advert has an original song, rather than a cover of a classic or a contemporary hit. The change in creative direction may be down to the fact that the John Lewis Christmas advert has been created by a new advertising agency, Saatchi & Saatchi, who won the account from Adam & Eve/DDB, who had been producing the John Lewis Christmas adverts since 2009.
However, the 2023 John Lewis Christmas advert is also similar to previous years in some ways. For instance, it still follows the formula of telling a simple and relatable story that appeals to a wide audience, and using a catchy and memorable song that enhances the mood and the message of the advert. It also still showcases the John Lewis products and services, such as the Christmas decorations, the clothing, the food, and the gift cards, that are relevant to the festive season. Moreover, it still supports a charitable cause, as a proportion of the proceeds from the sale of the Snapper soft toy and the Festa single will go to the John Lewis Partnership’s Building Happier Futures charities, which aim to help care-experienced young people and families.
How the John Lewis Christmas Advert Helps the John Lewis Brand
The John Lewis Christmas advert is not only a source of entertainment, but also a powerful marketing tool that helps the John Lewis brand in various ways. First, the John Lewis Christmas advert helps the John Lewis brand to increase its awareness and recognition among the public, as it generates a lot of media attention and social media buzz every year. The John Lewis Christmas advert is often considered as the unofficial start of the Christmas season in the UK, and many people look forward to watching it and sharing their opinions and reactions online. The John Lewis Christmas advert also attracts a lot of coverage from the press, the radio, and the television, who analyse and discuss its themes, its characters, its song, and its impact.
The John Lewis Christmas advert helps the John Lewis brand to enhance its reputation and image among the consumers, as it showcases its values and its personality. The John Lewis Christmas advert reflects the John Lewis brand’s ethos of quality, service, and trust, as it demonstrates its commitment to providing the best products and services for its customers, and its dedication to supporting the communities and the causes that matter to them. The John Lewis Christmas advert also expresses the John Lewis brand’s identity of being warm, friendly, and caring, as it tells stories that touch the hearts and the minds of the viewers, and inspire them to feel and to act.
How successful will the 2023 ad be?
The John Lewis Christmas advert helps the brand to boost its sales and its profits during the festive season, as it drives traffic and conversions to its stores and its website. The advert creates a strong emotional connection between the John Lewis brand and the consumers, and influences their purchase decisions and their loyalty. The John Lewis Christmas advert also stimulates the demand and the desire for their products and services, especially the ones that are featured or related to the advert, such as the Snapper soft toy, and the Festa single.
The 2023 John Lewis Christmas advert is a celebration of new traditions, and a reminder that joy can be found in the most unexpected places and people. However, this new creative direction and tone of voice may leave some ‘traditionalists’ disappointed with the end result.
They may miss the sentimental or the melancholic tone that was present in the previous adverts, such as the tear-jerking moments of the snowman finding his snowwoman, the penguin finding his mate, the dog jumping on the trampoline, the dragon being accepted by the villagers, or the man on the moon receiving a telescope, and find the humorous tone of the 2023 advert to be too light-hearted or too silly for a Christmas advert.
Only time will tell as to whether Snapper the Venus Fly Trap fits in the category of memorable John Lewis Christmas characters!
