An Extraterrestrial Christmas with John Lewis and adam&eveDDB

An extraterrestrial boldly goes where a penguin, dragon, snowman and many others have gone before—into a John Lewis Christmas ad.

Always much anticipated, this year’s two-minute spot hews closely to the John Lewis formula for its holiday work: a story of friendship backed by a cover song. In this case, the music is a new version of Philip Oakey and Giorgio Moroder’s 1984 tune “Together in Electric Dreams” performed by 20-year-old British singer-songwriter Lola Young.

The spot, titled “Unexpected Guest,” features an alien who lands on Earth completely unnoticed, except by a boy who happens to witness it while riding the bus home. They soon strike up a friendship in the woods behind his home, and eventually cement their bonds through a sparkly Christmas present.Unexpected Guest | John Lewis & Partners | Christmas Ad 2021

“For a Christmas as magical as your first,” says the spot’s end line—a theme that subtly nods to re-experiencing the holiday anew via the return of gatherings with loved ones after last year’s pandemic cancellations.

“There is nothing more magical than discovering the joy of Christmas for the first time and enjoying your favorite festive moments with loved ones,” says client customer director Claire Pointon. “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.”

Read more here

Cookie Preferences

We use cookies that are necessary to operate the website and provide you with the functionalities you requested. With your permission, we would also like to use cookies, including third-party cookies, to gather website analytics and statistics, such as via feedback polls, to improve your experience and to provide you with additional features (such as social media features).

You can revisit your consent choices at any time by returning to this preference centre and find out more about cookies by visiting our Cookie Policy.

Preferences successfully updated!