What: John Lewis’s 2025 Christmas campaign uses emotional storytelling and exclusive merchandise to inspire thoughtful gifting and support charitable causes.

Why it is important: This campaign reflects a strategic blend of emotional engagement, exclusive product integration, and social responsibility, building on recent shifts in John Lewis’s holiday marketing.

John Lewis’s 2025 Christmas campaign, “Where Love Lives,” combines emotional storytelling with exclusive product offerings to deepen customer engagement during the holiday season. The advert, set to a reimagined version of Alison Limerick’s “Where Love Lives”, centres on a father and son whose relationship is rekindled through the thoughtful gift of a vinyl record. This narrative not only evokes nostalgia but also positions the exclusive vinyl—available in-store and online—as a meaningful centrepiece of the campaign. By making all profits from the vinyl support the Building Happier Futures programme, John Lewis reinforces its commitment to social responsibility. The campaign’s integration of music, memory, and gifting encourages customers to express unspoken emotions through carefully chosen presents. At the same time, the partnership with Rough Trade and the focus on exclusive merchandise reflect a broader trend toward experiential and purpose-driven retail. This approach underscores John Lewis’s ability to innovate within the competitive holiday market, blending tradition with contemporary relevance. 

IADS Notes:  John Lewis’s 2025 campaign builds on its November 2024 shift toward product-centric, emotionally resonant advertising (“John Lewis breaks tradition with product-centric, human-focused Christmas campaign,” Fashion Network), as well as its February 2025 partnership with Rough Trade for exclusive vinyl releases (“John Lewis teams up with Rough Trade for vinyl records launch,” Retail Week). The September 2025 launch of the nationwide Christmas shop and the centenary celebration of Never Knowingly Undersold (“John Lewis opens Christmas shop nationwide,” Drapers; “John Lewis celebrates 100 years of Never Knowingly Undersold,” Drapers) further highlight the retailer’s commitment to unique collaborations, experiential retail, and social responsibility.

The John Lewis Christmas ad is here