John Lewis 2021 Christmas ad sees Nathan, 14, teach an alien festive traditions

4 November 2021, 00:03 | Updated: 10 November 2021, 15:18

John Lewis launch 2021 'Unexpected Guest' Christmas advert

By James Morris

A young alien experiencing her first Christmas – complete with mince pies and novelty jumper – features in this year's John Lewis festive campaign.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

The highly-anticipated ad, released today at 8am, is a return to form for the retailer as it attempts to tap in to customer enthusiasm for a traditional Christmas season after last year's muted celebrations amid pre-vaccination Covid.

Titled "Unexpected Guest", the two-minute ad stars space traveller Skye crash-landing at the height of festivities in the woods near the home of 14-year-old Nathan, who introduces her to the traditions of eating mince pies, decorating the tree and, to her slight confusion, wearing novelty jumpers.

The soundtrack is provided by 20-year-old London singer and songwriter Lola Young, who performs a cover of Together In Electric Dreams, originally released by Philip Oakey and Giorgio Moroder in 1984.

The release of the ad is around a fortnight earlier than usual and comes as the retailer revealed Christmas-related searches on its website are up 50% on this time last year.

The ad was created with agency adam&eveDDB, with John Lewis refusing to reveal a budget but saying it was in line with previous years' spending.

Shoppers can buy a version of the Christmas jumper that Nathan gives Skye – minus the added lights in the ad's version, in a nod to environmental sustainability – for between £14 and £29 depending on size, with 10% of the profits going to the charities FareShare and Home-Start UK.

The new John Lewis advert has been released.
The new John Lewis advert has been released. Picture: John Lewis

Every product in the ad is from John Lewis, with customers able to "shop key scenes", including the decorated Christmas tree and dinner table.

The ad first airs at 8.15pm on Thursday on ITV during The Pride of Britain Awards after launching at 6.30am for members of the "My John Lewis" loyalty scheme via email access, and from 8am on the retailer's website and social media channels.

John Lewis customer director Claire Pointon said: "There is nothing more magical than discovering the joy of Christmas for the first time and enjoying your favourite festive moments with loved ones.

"After the last 18 months, we wanted our advert to really celebrate this as we look forward to a brighter future.

"We know our customers are excited for this festive season more than ever, as they reconnect with family and friends. Through the story of Skye and Nathan we celebrate friendship and are reminded of the joy of experiencing Christmas for the first time."

The campaign comes after the retailer "deviated slightly" last year from the style of previous adverts due to the backdrop of Covid-19 with nine different vignettes showing acts of kindness.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Police responded to the stabbing in Villach, Austria.

14-year-old boy dead and four injured as man stabs five passers-by in Austria, with suspect believed to be Syrian

Julie Buckley, 54, from the village of Christchurch in Cambridgeshire, has not been seen since late January.

Missing woman at centre of Cambridgeshire murder investigation named

Police at the scene after the car crashed into protesters.

Mother and her two-year-old daughter die after Munich attack where man ploughed car into crowd

Thousands attend the Pro-Palestinian demonstration held in London

Thousands march to protest Trump's 'Riviera of the Middle East' Gaza plan

Partial lunar eclipse rising over Stonehenge, UK, on July 16th 2019

Rare 'blood moon' lunar eclipse is coming to the UK - here's how to see it

Ukraine war is the ‘front line’ for Europe and UK will up defence spending, Lammy says as Zelensky calls for European army

Ukraine war is ‘front line’ for Europe and UK will up defence spending, Lammy says as Zelensky calls for 'army of Europe'

Flag of the United Kingdom with surveillance camera and barbed wire

UK spending millions on ad campaign painting gloomy picture of Britain to deter Albanian immigrants

Flack, who was also known for presenting ITV's Love Island, took her own life on February 15 2020 at the age of 40.

Laura Whitmore shares heartbreaking final messages from Caroline Flack five years on from star's death

Exclusive
The former Deputy Foreign Secretary said: “Many countries in Europe are simply not spending anywhere near, in percentage terms, what America is spending.

UK needs to ‘spend less on welfare and more on defence’ to support Ukraine, former Shadow Foreign Secretary tells LBC

Craig and Lindsay Foreman

British couple on motorbike adventure held in Iran pictured for the first time as family break silence

The Jet2 plane was forced to divert.

Jet2 plane bound for UK makes emergency landing after passenger dies on board

he Philadelphia Eagles celebrate in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art during the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl Championship Parade on February 14, 2025

Two women shot and injured during Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl victory parade, police say

Social media footage showed a man being kicked on the ground by his knife-wielding attacker.

Two charged by police after shock footage shows man kicked and spat at by knifeman after ‘burning Koran’ in London

Jannik Sinner

World tennis number one Jannik Sinner handed three-month ban for doping

Keith Edun, 47, used the messaging app “Kik” to spread vile images of children

Predator who encouraged man to rape a baby after sharing vile images of children online is jailed for 21 years

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during the 61st Munich Security Conference on February 15, 2025 in Munich, Germany.

Zelenskyy calls for creation of ‘European army’ as he warns Russia 'will pull Europe apart' if not defeated