Good Morning Britain presenters Kate Garraway and Susanna Reid shared their differing opinions on the newly-released John Lewis 2023 Christmas advert.
The heart-warming ad – a long-established feature of the UK’s festive retail landscape – was played during Thursday’s instalment of the ITV morning show.
The highly anticipated advert is titled ‘Snapper, The Perfect Tree’ and follows a boy as he lovingly nurtures the plant from a seed bought at a local market, in the belief he is cultivating a perfect Christmas tree.
The fast-growing plant becomes an equally big personality – a Venus fly trap who wants to join in all the fun of Christmas, before the inevitable tear-jerking moment when he is cast out into the cold to make way for a traditional tree.
However, the boy is determined for Snapper to have a place in the celebrations, which soon see him back in the fold, as the ad ends with the strapline: ‘Let your traditions grow’.
After showcasing segments of the advert, Garraway, 56, said: “I think they say that the message is, you know...” to which Reid, 52, interjected with: “If you get something you don’t want for Christmas, don’t worry, mum and dad will get you something else!”
The quip left Garraway laughing before she added: “No, no, no! That’s definitely not the message at the Drapers [Kate’s family with husband Derek Draper].
“No, I think the message is: ‘You make Christmas as you want it, it doesn't have to be traditional’”.
Explaining the advert, Charlotte Lock, Customer Director for John Lewis, shared: “We are a nation that loves the traditions of Christmas – from classic traditions like pantos and putting up the tree to evolving new ones like crafting our own presents and Zoom get-togethers.
“Many of us have our own unique festive traditions and that makes them even more special.
“The film celebrates themes of family and evolving traditions and shows that a ‘perfect’ Christmas is finding joy together with loved ones, whatever your traditions.”
The ad’s soundtrack is an original song called ‘Festa’ – which means celebration – composed for the campaign by Italian electro-pop duo Le Feste Antonacci and performed by Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli.
The soundtrack will be released in longer form as a charity single, with a proportion of the proceeds going to the John Lewis Partnership’s Building Happier Futures charities, which help young people with experience of the care system and families in need.
Bocelli said: “I am delighted to take part in this wonderful and unique tradition of Christmas storytelling.
“It is very special for me given the great support this will bring to both the John Lewis and Andrea Bocelli foundations. Joy to all of your worlds this Christmas!”
John Lewis declined to reveal a budget for the campaign, which is its first with agency Saatchi and Saatchi, following a partnership with adam&eveDDB stretching back to 2009 that created ads including ‘Monty The Penguin’, ‘The Bear And The Hare’ and ‘Excitable Edgar’.
