Elton John's old piano is the star of this year's John Lewis Christmas advert

Date
15 November 2018

This year’s incarnation of the John Lewis Christmas advert has landed. Hitting television screens tonight, the campaign is available to watch online right this second and fans of Elton John are in for a treat. Welcome to The Boy and The Piano.

Directed by Seb Edwards – an industry veteran who has shot ads for the likes of Lacoste, Vodafone, and the Princes Trust – and created by advertising agency adam&eveDDB in collaboration with Rocket Entertainment, the annual seasonal spectacular is a brief biopic of the former Watford F.C. chairman.

It is the second campaign that Elton’s found himself in recently, having been parachuted into a house party for the latest Snickers advert.

Soundtracked by Elton’s much-loved Your Song we hop back and forth in time, charting the unstoppable rise of the boy christened Reginald Kenneth Dwight. From tinkling the ivories at a pub in Pinner to playing to jumbo crowds in American mega-stadiums, Elton’s companion is his trusty piano.

The Rocket Man singer says: “The John Lewis Christmas campaign has so many warm memories for me and my family. It’s been a lovely opportunity for me to reflect on my life in music and the incredible journey I have been on, and how first playing my grandmother’s piano marks the moment when music came into my life. The ad is absolutely fantastic and I’ve truly loved every minute of being a part of it.”

Despite not being the obvious tear-jerker that previous John Lewis attempts have been, the new spot is still smudged with the sort of sentimentality that’s only really acceptable at Christmas. Craig Inglis, the partner and customer director at John Lewis & Partners, puts it thus: “Think back to all of the Christmases that you have enjoyed over the years – I’m sure there is one very special gift that stands out above all others. That’s the magical feeling we wanted to bring to life this year. The ad tells the story of why Elton’s piano was more than just a gift and we hope to remind customers of that special moment when they’ve given a gift at Christmas time that they know will be treasured forever.”

In the spirit of giving, Elton has requested that a portion of his (no-doubt hefty) fee find its way to the Elton John Charitable Trust.

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adam&eveDDB/Seb Edwards/John Lewis & Partners: The Boy and The Piano

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adam&eveDDB/Seb Edwards/John Lewis & Partners: The Boy and The Piano

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adam&eveDDB/Seb Edwards/John Lewis & Partners: The Boy and The Piano

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adam&eveDDB/Seb Edwards/John Lewis & Partners: The Boy and The Piano

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adam&eveDDB/Seb Edwards/John Lewis & Partners: The Boy and The Piano

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Josh Baines

Josh Baines joined It's Nice That from July 2018 to July 2019 as News Editor, covering new high-profile projects, awards announcements, and everything else in between.

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