This blog post is available in the YouTube short form if you’d rather hear it in 59 seconds.

If you were moved to tears by the 2023 John Lewis Christmas commercial “Snapper, the perfect tree” there are 6 hidden and not so obvious reasons the copywriters were able to tug so hard on your heartstrings.

The retailer has produced some of the most iconic Christmas ads of this century employing themes of friendship, generosity, tolerance, sharing and imagination but this sophisticated ad manages to cleverly combine all of these.

In a household with no obvious male influence the boy, like Elliott in Spielberg’s ET, is both nurtured by and nurturer, growing to understand fatherhood by becoming the protector and friend of this lonely and ostracised alien creature. 

John Lewis Christmas commercials often uses cover versions of well known pieces to shift perspectives on the familiar and Andrea Bocelli’s new piece Festa uses theatrical repetition of the lyrics “la vita è una festa” – meaning “life is a celebration” – to provide an inspiring composition.

The retailer’s theme this year is the fusion of old and new festive traditions with the Saatchi strapline ‘Let Your Traditions Grow’, celebrating evolving and multicultural customs, finding joy with loved ones, whatever your traditions.

The plant is born helpless and needy but becomes an inspiration. This echoes the Christian nativity story. And the boy’s innocent recognition of goodness in the unusual is uncoloured by prejudice or preconceptions.

Popular opinion is mixed with right wing media commentary focusing on the lack of tradition and woke agendas but more liberal sources on the heartwarming celebration of difference – you can see below how different the comments are against the YouTube videos released by The Guardian and GBNews.

At a time when the UK has become more intolerant of strangers and difference than ever, with nationalism and exceptionalism having taken centre stage this seems like the perfect antidote and glimmer of hope of a welcome return to the sanity of the politically liberal mutual understanding and acceptance – like that of a boy and a carnivorous plant.

The best ads resonate, inspire and stay with us. I feel this one just might.