John Lewis & Partners are relying on singer Elton John to boost sales as the retailer launches its annual festive advertising campaign
ADVERTISEMENTBritish retailer John Lewis has become famous for its Christmas advertising campaign in recent years, so much so that its TV commercials are eagerly anticipated by the public and the advertising industry.
This year, the high street and online retailer is relying on star power to boost sales by securing the talents of Elton John for its video offering "The Boy and the Piano."
According to the company's website, the ad tells the story of how one special gift can change the course of a life. Unsurprisingly, in this case, the gift for Elton was a piano, his grandmother's, given to the singer when he was a child. The soundtrack is the iconic "Your Song."
"That's the magical feeling we wanted to bring to life this year," said John Lewis Partner and Customer Director Craig Inglis.
"The ad tells the story of why Elton's piano was more than just a gift and we hope to remind customers of that special moment when they've given a gift at Christmas time that they know will be treasured forever."
Elton John said the John Lewis Christmas campaign held "many warm memories" for him and his family.
"It's been a lovely opportunity for me to reflect on my life in music and the incredible journey I have been on, and how first playing my Grandmother's piano marks the moment when music came into my life."
The singer requested that a portion of his fee was donated to the Elton John Charitable Trust.
The John Lewis commercial comes against a backdrop of a fall in TV advertising spending by UK retailers amid a shift in focus to digital platforms.