Close Menu

    John Lewis Christmas Advert 2020: Give a Little Love

    Give a Little Love

    • Launched: 13th November (National Kindness Day) 2020
    • Soundtrack: A Little Love by Celeste
    • Length: Approx. 2m 30s
    • Agency: Adam&EveDDB
    • Charitable Focus: Collaboration between John Lewis and Waitrose. Charities supporting families in need, both retailers pledged to match customer donations.

    A little love can make a big difference

    The John Lewis Christmas Advert 2020 was a little different, and very nearly didn’t happen at all. John Lewis said that because of the Covid-19 pandemic, they weren’t sure it was even appropriate to produce their usual tear-jerking cinematic ad this year.

    So the advert went in another direction. The collaborative effort with Waitrose captured the hearts of millions, celebrating the magic of love and giving during the complicated times of 2020. Adam&EveDBB agency showed us how a little love can make a big difference. The campaign is a heart-warming celebration of different forms of moving art – from animation and Claymation to CGI and cinematography, complimented by the beautiful voice of British soul singer Celeste. Read on as we dive deeper into what makes this such an unforgettable campaign.

    Soundtrack

    For the first time in the advert’s history, John Lewis said goodbye to the classic covers, and had an original song written especially for the occasion. But who performed the all-important soundtrack? 

    With her rich, melodic voice that can make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, BBC Sound Of 2020 winner Celeste proved to be the ideal choice for the John Lewis 2020 ad. Her captivating melody not only elevated the visual storytelling but also seamlessly blended with the heartwarming narrative. In a Q&A with John Lewis, Celeste said “I attempted to create something timeless and something that encapsulated Christmas”, and she absolutely delivered.

    Creativity

    From animation and claymation to CGI and cinematography, Give a Little Love magnifies the importance of small acts of kindness, which are all connected by a heart motif. Multiple artists were employed instead of a single production team as a gesture of support towards the creative industry, which had been severely impacted by the pandemic.

    Here are the identified artists and filmmakers:

    1. Oscar Hudson 

    2. Chris Hopewell

    3. Andy Gent & Anthony Farquhar Smith

    4. Sylvain Chomet

    5. Anete Melece

    6. MegaComputeur

    7. Anna Mantzaris

    8. Shotopops

    Charitable Focus - "Give a little love with a donation"

    John Lewis worked with Home-Start and Fare Share to help over 100,000 families in need at Christmas. The campaign extended its charitable focus by encouraging donations and selling campaign products. Together, John Lewis and Waitrose customers raised £393,035, with £393,035 being matched by retailers.

    give-a-little-love-donations
    https://www.johnlewis.com/content/give-a-little-love/donations

    On top of that, every time the track was downloaded, Celeste and her record label Polydor made a 10p donation to the campaign. 

    A 30-second complementary advert was also created, carrying a direct call to support the two charities. Four post-graduate students from Kingston University were chosen for their distinctive styles:

    1. Amelia Fowler

    2. Marta Pinto

    3. Leksey Lee

    4. Bella McEvoy

    Take a look below!

    Initially, John Lewis and Waitrose aimed to raise £4 million for two charities: FareShare, which supports individuals facing food poverty, and Home-Start, which assists parents who need support. They managed to raise more than £3 million which was directed towards FareShare, Home-Start, and other local charities, thereby supporting numerous families across the UK affected by the pandemic.

    Merchandise

    Merchandise products ranged from clothing items such as T-shirts and pyjamas, to candles, pin badges, heart-shaped umbrellas, and a ‘Give A Little Love’ cotton tote bag. These items were made available for purchase both online and in-store, with all the profits generated from sales being directed to charities FareShare and Home-Start, reflecting John Lewis’ commitment to giving back during the festive season.

    Social Media Engagement

    ‘Give A Little Love’ received mostly positive feedback on social media, with many viewers expressing approval for its heartwarming message. However, it was not always met with quite the same level of love which it celebrates, as many branded it ‘dull’ and ‘not as good as other companies’ ads that year. Here is what some of their audience had to say…

    To wrap it up...

    “Give a Little Love” offered a heartwarming approach in a year that brought us back to the core message of this cherished moment in the festive calendar, truly capturing what Christmas should always embody: giving and kindness.

    Still from John Lewis Christmas advert 2020 Give a Little Love