The making of John Lewis Christmas Advert 2011

[TheKumiko66]

I love this kid,he is a wonderful little actor. I love the story,I think every Dad would want a child like him.

[TheBritishBankers]

we made our own version of this and other ads check out my channel thanks

[loviebuggie333]

Best Advert! My Favourite 

[alexgross777]

Вынос мозга. Трогательнейший ролик.

[austja2005]

the fact he is called Lewis, is the ADD of branding!

[annaliseREB]

My brother done something similar for his wife. He downloaded this song, woke up early on christmas day to sort things out. He woke his wife up to this song and him standing in front of her with an ipad 2. She cried :')

[lucyrosee1]

i just want to gobble that little boy

[LittleOwlVideos]

check out my short christmas film, only 50 seconds of your life.

[PJHBedford]

Absolutely the best Xmas ad of 2011. Well done Craig and Adam & Eve!

[franbot12]

hi everyone click on my profile an watch my remake of this video its so funny not to be missed thanks alot :)

[mackat4ck]

He is SO CUTE! :D

[otsproctor]

@mackat4ck Me aww thx

[blissyMcc]

My dad is friends with his uncle! :3

[franbot12]

hi everyone please watch my familys remake of this video the funny version an thumbs up so everyone can see this thanks alot its on my profile

[elwors2]

There's no 4:03....

[MelMel5643]

See, I'm American, and over here our ads are NOWHERE near as great as this. Britain, I applaud you.

[evilprincess1525]

the boy is sooooo natural...... thumbs up to you little one.... :)

[zara96100]

wowee he is too cute, wanna give him a big hug and a kiss lol :-)

[ShiftyRonnie]

What's the song called

[Huskywench]

The boy in this advert is a pure delight.....I love how the corner of his smile momentarily curls downwards at the end....simply magical :)

[jman280292]

@Huskywench same

[Hopeinawe]

now i get it!

[TFagey]

Where has he got the presentfrom without his plarents seeing?? Did he sneek out to john lewis or sumthin?

[freyfreyscott]

whats the song called for this?

[TheOne2View]

@freyfreyscott "Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want" by Slow Moving Millie :)

[bradleymt2001]

@pangythegreat Man.....you guys put way to much alternative meaning into this. Lewis McGowen (the boy) is an actor...a darn good one. So is his brother...and his dad. But the deeper meaning of it being better to give a gift then receive a gift is clearly the message....(as long as you buy it and John Lewis stores) Cute and true anecdote; Lewis thought the store was named after him.

[s2me89]

awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww so cute.

[gh62ia]

I agree with the comment about MORRISSEY. His song lyrics surely contributed to this whole piece. Morrissey is a genius.

[RossVlogs]

The little boy is bored.... Just think of Africa! :(

[sfchenz]

@RossVlogs Fuck off

[uberroofing]

Well that is moving... Making of is slightly better than the ad ;)))

[XanderPetrov]

Ahhh.... So beautiful. I wanna shoot awesomeness like this one day.

[MaxXximilian1]

That little boy is amazing.

I'm 27 and will never be able to act like that.

Good luck son.

[pink2sparkle]

John Lewis makes amazing adverts the boy is soo cute!

[01944able]

I just love this advert. I keep posting it on my Facebook. Promised my friends I will delete it after Christmas. SHAME!!

[LAmileycyrusLA]

the john lewis christmas ads are so good but they always make me feel sad afterwards :'(

[Rachiee081]

His parents are so damn miserable. Be PROUD your 'child' is cute and adoreable!!!!!

[seckziee]

@PatrikLevai its like £30,000...

[JameyOnline]

Him as the wizard is the best part :D

[Rachiee081]

@JameyOnline And the bear suit!

[TomJesper]

@Rachiee081 Its a gruffalo :)

[PatrikLevai]

Nice. Does anyone know what camera are they using?

[TomJesper]

@PatrikLevai i assume a custom RED camera, if not something much more expensive

[YourMyException]

I just want a little boy like him lol!! X

[rubymoonwolf]

awwww

[Disconn3ction]

How old is the boy? He is such a star!

[Bouncybon]

No :-) I often pop into John Lewis but that's my only connection. I was an agency copywriter most of my life - now retired. I know how difficult it is for a hot creative group to sell its best ideas. You need a serene client/agency rapport. The 'perfect storm' is a good writer/art director partnership, a great idea from them (which they know will work) excellent client/agency relations (that's down to hands-on account management people), and a brilliant director who simply loves the idea.

[44marva]

i love that adver the best advert i seen in the whole wide world!i cant stop looking at it

[Bouncybon]

The Mum an Dad were terrific too. All their reactions were perfect and beautiful. I specially liked the father getting the boy to stop jigging around on the sofa. He's trying to read - the boy is preventing him, - but his gesture is gentle and there's no irritability. He and the Mum: marvellous actors intrinsic to the film's lapidary perfection.

[P73D470R]

this advert proberbly woulnt exist if it wasnt for the greatest song writer of all time, MORRISSEY

[chicatube]

Love the story and the little actor. He's brilliant! :o)

[Pamperazzi1]

brilliant ad ending is so touching and gets me everytime fantastic!!!!!!!

[atdd22]

Excellent job, well done (especially Lewis!)

[S97oDESIREZ]

Whats the song called?

[P73D470R]

@S97oDESIREZ Please please please let me get what i want - The Smiths is the original version and it is much better :)

[Bouncybon]

Brilliant. This is British advertising at its very best. The creative talent is there - always has been. Sadly very few Clients are looking for this kind of quality from their advertising agencies.

[mvoller]

@Bouncybon Yeah your right, most clients just want sell sell sell. John Lewis are so cleaver with their advertising - everything you see in that ads are from John Lewis stores. So cleaver

[Bouncybon]

@mvoller John Lewis really stands to gain from this sophisticated, highly original spot - simply because they themselves present as a sophisticated store. Their image is reaffirmed by the creativity, charm and good taste of the commercial. That said, not every Client needs to do this. But many companies underestimate the intelligence of the consumer. People are smarter than they realise.

This commercial actually moved me. I won't be surprised if it turns out the director was Martin Scorsese.

[mvoller]

@Bouncybon You don't work for John Lewes do you? Or Adam and eve? haha. I know what you mean though. Many clients underestimate or don't fully understand the power of creating a brand that is meaningful to consumers. Some clients seem to do more damage than good! Not John Lewes though

[LemurHotel]

If this wasn't such a good ad I would probably write some comment about people going on YouTube to watch ads.

[scottandtatum1]

Who eles laughed at 1:13, 'Matt Gay'.

[lucebenton14]

whats the song called?

[TheMeerkittens]

Lewis is so cute (:

[AdArmand]

The child is the only good thing about the ad.

[Mightymetra]

They should carry on this story every Christmas!

[Dingwell1984]

what is this song?

[MrCriticize]

Unfortunately the puppy inside the present had died a couple days beforehand, the parents were horrified by this and called the rspca who decided to prosecute the parents landing them a huge fine, the stress of this along with the hate campaign from family and neighbors led to bickering and arguing and eventually they divorced. The kid grew up into a life of crime and drugs and eventually commited suicide. John should be ashamed of himself.

[Mightymetra]

I used to look like that and I still act like it (lol).

[MrDelusionalPenguin]

Lewis-ception!

[Emzfit]

Just love this advert, I want a little boy like that!!

[ArtOfRuin75]

@Emzfit PEDO!!!! Nar, I get what you mean lol

[Emzfit]

@ArtOfRuin75 haha! Oh yeah, I should have worded that different lol!!! 

[flofirth2]

I think the really sweet thing is that he isn't waiting for his gifts, he is waiting to make his parents happy =] <3

[grooverheliboy]

ALL you idiots posting your vile comments here wouldn't know CREATIVITY if it stood up and hit you in the balls/fanny..

Now lets see what you thick bastards can come up with...

[LunoLeigh]

How did you make the dog's head look so realistic?

[alfwhillis]

Only just noticed he has the same dressing gown and office chair as me.

Creepy

[littlegreyalien]

loving this advert!!!! perfect casting , loved the twist at the end,little boy absolutely brilliant!!!!!!

[UnderTheAffluence]

LET'S GET THE SMITHS TO CHRISTMAS NUMBER ONE.

"PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LET ME GET WHAT I WANT" MAKES THIS ADVERT.

MORRISSEY NEEDS YOUR HELP TO CLEAR HIS NAME.

NME ACCUSATIONS HAVE LABELED HIM A RACIST FOR YEARS.

JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED.

[spiffchen]

best advert I have ever seen. beautiful on so many levels

[indigox1]

@xxxDaniel2010xxx original is by the smiths, this version is by slow moving millie

[gustave824]

"Please, please, please let me get what I want" by the Smiths or Slow Moving Millie

[momma1setta]

This advert brought me to tears, it captuvated the true meaning of what Christmas is all about, we seem to have forgot through the years, that giving is just as special as receiving, the music, the little boy Lewis, is truely breath taking, well done, John Lewis, now all i want is my sons home for christmas, they are in the armed forces, serving their country, grown up as they are, memories still remain.

[ringoutwildbells]

This works so well as it links to the John Lewis ethos and ethics; yes the company is all about making money - it is a major retailer after all. But it is a retailer with a difference; never knowingly undersold, looks after its staff which it calls partners and gives a share of profits to its staff, without the bling to which other retailers resort. Reminds us of what Xmas, with Christ''s birth, should be about; simplicity, the spirit of Xmas through remembering others and giving not receiving.

[ephemeralprotagonist]

I don't like these making of videos. The production crew are speaking as if they have just made Citizen Kane or Dogville. It's just a TV advert for a department store.

I'm only here because it was mentioned on Radio 4's Now Show. I don't own a television so wouldn't have even seen it otherwise.

[Willow2990]

Love this advert, WELL DONE LEWIS!! **********

[dannyday58218195]

well guys ya did an awsome job... its an advert and generally i hate adverts... but this is actually like a mini movie, the way its filmed, the shallow depth of field and all the different scenes and the music... it all works so well together

obviously adverts are supposed to make ya think about the company and sell you something... but this just seems to sell an idea of christmas to me...

like it was made because someone had an awsome simple idea, not because they wanted to make loadsa money

[bradleymt2001]

@dannyday58218195 I agree; this is a story and it takes real creativity to tell a complete story in 90 seconds. Not a single product mentioned, not a single price shown, not a single silly pitch made....and I bet that a lot more people shopped at John Lewis as a result. Retailers....take a lesson!

[dannyday58218195]

@bradleymt2001 indeed they should take a lesson! i think in todays world its alot lot harder to get peoples attention with adverts - with things like sky plus i hardly see adverts anymore and online adds are just an annoyance - its time more companies began being more creative - its hugley expensive to put ads on tv anyway - so if youve got cash to do it - do it with abit more thought... obviously i exclude iceland in this :P

[khairabadavadh]

Sssssqqqq

[lauraem171]

its so cute

[postypaulh]

What a story,what a true star ,and what a twist well done to all concerned the best christmas advert by a long way .Poor M&S gone badly wrong this year m putting all thier eggs in the X Factor basket.

[missphisility]

whats this songg

[xoCharlotte08ox]

Great advert, I wonder my he got them :)

[inshreds66]

I didn't hear a mention of The Smiths song that's being used in this advert ????

[lynnjane1]

most of my friends and I just sobbed our eyes out at this advert..........then felt like mugs!! There's no doubt that it presses all the buttons so from that point of view the creative team have scored 100%.........using the Smiths song was genius

[petrucristian09]

brilliant ad. congrats to all involved.

[MissTweetyPie1000]

Aw, this advert is soo cute :') love it <3 xx

[LillyArwen]

Aww, can i adopt him, please! xx

[jamieahmt]

beautiful advert, love the little boys facial expressions, the more times you watch it, the more you see, love the way the little girl looks at him when he's eating the peas. Beautifully made with an amazing little boy. He gonna be a star ! Jx

[83mellowyellow]

This is the most amazing piece of TV I have seen for years. The true sense of Christmas with a captivating theme..! The young man is a star and using a Smiths song is a master stroke..! Well done, I love it...

[768645]

who sing the music?

[covanderhoek]

@768645 slow moving millie "please, please, please let me get what i want"

[alan01256]

@768645 The Smiths originally but I think the girl singing is Tinderbox, but could be The Jealous Girfriends.

[droow]

They cut the ending off. It was meant to be like 'Seven' and its actually his little brothers head

[janeyl66]

Cute kid...nice premise...dreadful Smiths cover...absolutely awful

[hashir]

Wait, Lewis is acting in a John Lewis ad?

Lewis in a Lewis ad!

Lewis in Lewis!

Mind = Blown!

[markowens88]

@hashir its basically the plot of inception

[MediaPiXels]

@hashir LEWISCEPTION

[willygum10]

good ad.

[RODOLFITO2241]

Wonderful ad for the time of year.

[Hoppyswife]

I love this advert! It gives me a lump in my throat everytime I see it. It's believable and we have all felt that frustration as a kid waiting for Christmas. We loose the magic feeling that Christmas brings as we get older and take on more responsibilty, for me this advert reawakens that magic. Well done to everone who was lucky enough to play a part in producing it. X

[12rafferty]

I've allways wanted to be in adverts like this boy well done lewis u brave kid and if I ever to get the chance to be on an advert as a main part I won't be saying no

[stupidintellect90]

He reminds me of Nadal a little. Very cute boy.

[thececilykate]

What did he give?!!! Can't be socks

[Glynzilla]

@thececilykate a dog's head

[kitamurahk]

SO CHEESEY and Corny, what a boring ad........

[mau5virus]

@kitamurahk u mad bro?

[simmyechoes]

Lovely ad but they really should have used the original song by the Smiths. This woman's voice makes it so much soppier than it should be.

[GJDUPREE1]

i'm with Charlie Brooker-I think this video is improved by believing that the little boy at the end is presenting his parents with the family dog's head in a box.

[Lindac660]

The business with a smiths backing tune.

[AnimalNitrateInMind]

@Lindac660 That was not the Smiths, that was an abomination

[AnimalNitrateInMind]

The atrocipissola cover of Please, Please Let Me Get I Want made me cry

[turlaach]

Shame they ruined it by putting a dog's head in that box at the end.

[hunter4153]

My dads name is John Lewis...just saying!

[amrhb90]

*Said in the idiom of Chris Crocker*

Leave the Smith ALONE!

[esmemckenzie]

what a cute advert, and the boy is called lewis for a John 'Lewis' advert? meant to beeeeeee!

[jeffreybowden1234]

£6 million this cost. £6 million!

Admittedly, its very emotional and tugs the heart strings. But, thats all it is. It is a marketing tool, for nothing other than profit. And it works well; People have fallan hook, line and sinker.

John Lewis... next year, please, give £5 million to charity and spend £1 million on an advert. This extravagance is not nessecary, and in these troubled times, the money would be much better spent elsewhere.

Every part of this is disturbing.

[jimhigham]

@jeffreybowden1234 Point taken and in the hands of most other retailers I would agree with you. However, your view is not quite applicable in this instance. John Lewis is run as a partnership (or co-operative) and the staff receive a share of any profit that makes a considerable addition to their salaries. It is consistently rated very highly for both customer and staff satisfaction. As such, I am quite happy for them to splash with their cash if it ultimately helps their employees.

[halogen123]

@jeffreybowden1234 In a capitalist society John Lewis and indeed any other company is entitled to spend what they think is necessary on getting more customers and increasing profits. The fact that it is owned by the employees does not change this.

[WelshBathBoy]

@jeffreybowden1234 I understand your frustration, however the John Lewis Partnership gives millions to charity every year. Every month each Waitrose store gives £1000 to local charities, a total of 255 supermarkets throughout the country giving a total of £255 000 a month, that's £3 060 000 a year! Every year each John Lewis store chose a charity and donate money to them. Last year the total amount donated to charity from the John Lewis Partnership was £8 819 056, nothing to be scoffed at!

[022starlet]

I love this advert, everytime it comes on the TV I have to watch it, the little boy is so cute, Merry Christmas everyone.

[DazzleSAOLC]

this advert reduces me to tears every time i see it. brilliant ad and a very talented little boy

[MrIanrandall]

Really well done, this is the best Christmas advert i think i have ever seen, just brilliant. LOVE IT!

[chantalevettehill]

Love this advert and unlike some companies John Lewis doesn't have to turn to XFactor rejects or aging models.

Lewis is a REAL *star *

[perment]

That little boy is going to be a big big star

[flygrace]

Well, that was a disappointment. I was hoping to see the dog's head.

[wooble73]

That's a lovely emotive advert..John Lewis does bring out the nostalgia of people. I remember being like the boy too! :-)

[TokenNortherner]

Brilliant advert... I am in America at the moment as I miss English television so much... my mother works for John Lewis and she recommended me watch the advert. What a talented crew and cast. Brilliant work folks xx

[stuartbluesky]

I am so proud of my little boy Lewis. It was lovely to see all the crew again.  Thank you John Lewis for giving him this amazing opportunity. Last year, Lewis asked Santa for two things, a tea cup for his mum and the best Christmas ever. I think thanks to John Lewis this year will definitely be the best Christmas ever. Thank you x

[gavrosh11]

@stuartbluesky

this advert is so inspirational. Lewis is wonderful. How old is he? I am a chaperone and recently worked on KFC and it brought back many fond memories. You must be a very proud mum.

Mike

[redheadrockchick]

@stuartbluesky I bet you are so, so proud of your gorgeous little boy. He reminds me so much of my little brother, and the advert got me crying! Thank you for allowing him on our screens, and warming our hearts! Beautiful and captivating. :)

[EWstreetbackguy]

@stuartbluesky Your son is a talented actor, even from the 1 minute 30 clip I saw. He's inspired me to improve my Media course at college and even act better. You should be very proud of your little actor :)

[anothercrusader]

@stuartbluesky Your boy is wonderful, just wonderful. Brings a lump to my throat every time, once I stop laughing.

[sallypremier]

@stuartbluesky And so you should be proud! What an amazing boy! Its the first xmas advert that made me go all gooey! Its fantastic and very well done!! Brilliant!

[tanner87]

@stuartbluesky what a little star your son has been in this advert, have a good Christmas

[bowsy1]

@stuartbluesky You must be very proud parents :-)

[Jso003]

@stuartbluesky Wait is that your son in the advert?

[VellaJimmy]

@stuartbluesky OMG: Lewis is BRILLIANT!!!! This advert makes me cry every time and I've seen it like... 100 times minimum!!! Love and best wishes from Malta!

[flofirth2]

@VellaJimmy going to malta next year with my mates =]

[gemmachihuahua]

@flofirth2 haha im from malta too!! :D

[bradleymt2001]

@stuartbluesky You have a very talented family Stuart. I enjoyed reading the back story about your family in the Mail article. Your son Lewis is a natural and it is easy to see why the production crew obviosly enjoyed working with Lewis and your family. Sorry to read that you didn't look enough like Lewis to play his dad. Warmest holiday wishes. 

[bakingwithcallum]

stuwert ur in it

[bakingwithcallum]

thats my best friends wee brother

[bakingwithcallum]

well done lewis

[stuartbluesky]

I am so proud of my wee boy!!!

[ezziebee123]

thats my best friends wee brother xx <3

[CEDRICtheFOETUS]

The old "Dog's head in a box" gag, Classic

[callumpineapple]

@CEDRICtheFOETUS back off