Ad of the Day: John Lewis Unveils Its Latest Christmas Spectacular

British retailer John Lewis is known for its unique Christmas campaigns, which are always much anticipated and always sentimental. Its latest holiday work from adam&eveDDB hit YouTube and the brand's website Friday (ahead of Saturday's big TV launch on The X Factor)—a two-minute, animated story that's lovely to behold, even if it owes a bit of its approach to another much-lauded advertiser of recent years. The spot, titled "The Bear and the Hare," concerns two friends who have a little problem as Christmas approaches. One is thrilled for the season to begin; the other (i.e., the one who hibernates) just wants to go to sleep. The basic story isn't exactly new—it recalls Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman's children's book Bear Stays Up for Christmas (though the conclusion here, involving a special gift, is different). Yet it feels universal enough to be fair game, and is gorgeously rendered, largely thanks to an animation technique that the company is calling unprecedented. The film, directed by Elliot Dear and Yves Geleyn through Blinkink and Hornet, uses both traditional hand-drawn 2-D animation and stop-frame 3-D model animation, and the results are gorgeous. The approach gives every scene a magical feel, both old and new—flat yet rich and deep and textured. The 2-D animation recalls all the beloved Christmas films of half a century ago, while the 3-D places them within a purely modern scene that sparkles. Plot-wise, it's a sweet story. And while it doesn't have as delightful a twist as 2011's wonderful "The Long Wait," it's still a return to form after last year's odd snowman spot. The soundtrack is beautiful, too. It's Lily Allen doing a cover of "Somewhere Only We Know" by Keane. And yes, a celebrity singer doing a cover song, combined with the lovely animation, is a familiar strategy—it's the approach CAA Marketing and Chipotle have pioneered with "Back to the Start" and "The Scarecrow." Replace the dark politics with light holiday cheer, and you've got "The Bear and the Hare." The similarities don't end there. After the John Lewis ad breaks, an interactive e-book will be available for download, featuring games and other diversions—a move reminiscent of Chipotle's Scarecrow gaming app. And like Willie Nelson and Fiona Apple's songs for Chipotle, the Lily Allen cover will be available for purchase on iTunes, too. This multimedia approach is smart, giving the campaign so many more touch points—and we'll surely be seeing more of it in big branded-entertainment campaigns. Something traditional wrapped in something new. It's a great approach to any Christmas marketing, and it should do well for John Lewis this season. CREDITS Client: John Lewis Agency: adam&eveDDB Executive Creative Directors: Ben Priest, Ben Tollett, Emer Stamp Creative Directors: Aidan McClure, Laurent Simon Producer: Anthony Falco Assistant Producer: Catherine Cullen Managing Partner: Tammy Einav Business Director: Miranda Hipwell Account Manager: Caroline Grayson Production Companies: Blinkink; Hornet Directors: Elliot Dear, Yves Geleyn 2-D Animation: Premise Entertainment Character Designer: Aaron Blaise 2-D Animation Supervisors: Aaron Blaise, Dominic Carola Executive Producers: Bart Yates, James Stevenson Bretton, Josephine Gallagher Line Producer: Kev Harwood Production Manager: Benjamin Lole Production Designer: John Lee Director of Photography: Toby Howell Lead Stop-Frame Animator: Andy Biddle Editor: Sam Sneade, Ellie Johnson @ Speade Sound: Sam Robson @ Factory Colorist: Jean-Clement Soret @ MPC Postproduction: Blinkink Studios

Brand Marketing

Ad of the Day: John Lewis Unveils Its Latest Christmas Spectacular

A bear, a hare and a gift to share

Tim Nudd

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Tim Nudd