Who sings in the John Lewis 2023 advert song?
Christmas adverts season is well and truly upon us.
Just this morning, John Lewis – known for its success in this arena – released its offering at 8am.
In the past decade, the release of big retailers’ festive adverts has become something of a national event.
John Lewis has often struck gold with its Christmas adverts and this year’s offering seems to have charmed many.
What is this year’s John Lewis advert about?
The retailer released its new advert at 8am today (Thursday 9 November), which is titled Snapper, The Perfect Tree.
In it, we see a little boy, Alfie, out with his grandmother at a flea market. He picks up an antique wooden box with its label saying: “Grow Your Own Perfect Christmas Tree, Fast Growing”. Inside the box is a seed. The little boy asks his granny if he can have the box.
Once home, he plants the seed and it begins to grow into a carnivorous Venus flytrap called Snapper – so not quite the Christmas tree he’d expected. Nevertheless they (of course) become friends.
But Snapper grows out of control and begins feasting on the furniture so soon enough, and with impeccable tear-jerking timing, Snapper is cast out into the garden.
The anthropomorphised plant, which is bound to win over the younger audiences, thus resides forlornly in the snow.
But – and of course, there has to be a but – all comes good on Christmas morning. The family go out into the garden and Snapper even helps them open their presents. The ad’s strapline is “Let your traditions grow”, suggesting the family is now embracing this new addition to the family.
This year’s ad has a big range of accompanying merchandise, from an £18 plush plant to a £3 Christmas card with seeds and a £9.99 children’s storybook. Snapper will also feature on the Christmas at Kew light trail in London at the gardens this year.
What is the song accompanying the advert?
This year’s advert is set to a track called “Festa” meaning “party” or “celebration” and is sung by opera singer Andrea Bocelli.
John Lewis said it intentionally opted for a new musical style to compliment Snapper, “a very different character for 2023”.
“Festa” is also a charity single, written and produced by Italian pop duo Le Feste Antonacci specifically for the advert and to put a “twist on traditional music at Christmas”.
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!”
How much did the advert cost?
John Lewis has declined to reveal a budget for the campaign – 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.
Sarah Jenkins, managing director at Saatchi & Saatchi, said: “It’s an extraordinary privilege to be working with the John Lewis Partnership, and it’s particularly magical to be launching a campaign that celebrates all of the traditions –both eternal and evolving – that make Christmas so special to the nation.
“The race to be the number one Christmas ad brings extra festive spice and is such a brilliant embodiment of the skills and smarts of the UK’s incredible creative industries.”
Who else has released adverts?
Many of the UK’s biggest brands have already released blockbuster Christmas ads this year.
Celebrities have played a major role this year, Sainsbury’s ad features Eighties pop legend Rick Astley and Asda’s involves a cameo by festive favourite Michael Bublé.
This year’s ads are noticeably more upbeat in tone compared with the tearjerkers of previous years.
And in a well-established tradition between advertisers, agencies, and media owners they have all arrived within days of each other.
