John Lewis Christmas advert draws mixed reactions

Entertainment · First reported 3 Nov, 13:16 · Updated 13:22

Image: Wikimedia Commons · NASA Earth Observatory image by Lauren Dauphin, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Story by Adam Voiland. · Public domain

John Lewis’s advert about a grandmother seeking a meaningful Christmas gift for her grandchildren prompted criticism of the children’s behaviour and the campaign’s emotional impact, alongside more positive responses to its humour and cast.

The three-minute advert follows Gloria, played by Kristin Scott Thomas, as she swaps giving cash for creating a shared space for her grandchildren.
Some viewers and Mumsnet commenters criticised the grandchildren’s behaviour and questioned the advert’s portrayal of them.
Kantar praised the humour and Scott Thomas’s performance but said the advert lacked the emotional impact of earlier campaigns.

Summary written by Lux AI from 2 articles

Key facts

Advert length: Three minutes.
Main character: Gloria, played by Dame Kristin Scott Thomas.
Dog character: Pickles is voiced by comedian Paul Whitehouse.
Music: The advert features Sam Fender’s cover of The Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.”