John Lewis launched its 2026 holiday campaign, "Don't Give Up on Giving," starring Kristin Scott Thomas as a glamorous grandma, with a Sam Fender cover of The Rolling Stones and a wooden dog voiced by Paul Whitehouse. The campaign argues that thoughtful gifts matter more than perfect ones, but the article reports no results yet.
No results are reported yet, so this is unproven. The strategic logic is to tap a real worry, the fear that a gift isn't perfect, and answer it with the message that a thoughtful gift beats a flawless one, while a glamorous grandma and a familiar song keep the long-running John Lewis format fresh.
Reframe a pressure-driven purchase around the feeling of thoughtfulness rather than perfection, so customers are relieved from chasing the 'perfect' choice.
I'd test whether the 'thoughtful over perfect' message actually changes behavior by pairing the film with practical gift-finding help in stores and online. I'd also track whether people remember the message or just the cast and the song.