It feels as if the festive season really only begins when the famous annual John Lewis Christmas advert is unveiled. This year, John Lewis invites the nation to say what they truly feel through the timeless power of thoughtful gifting with the help of ‘90s dance icon Alison Limerick and the BRIT, MOBO and Ivor Novello winner Labrinth.
The advert is soundtracked by Alison Limerick’s classic house anthem ‘Where Love Lives’ – a song which was released in 1990 and became a Top 10 hit in 1996. Its renown has only been amplified in the years that have followed, with the likes of Billboard, DJ Mag,Mixmag, Rolling Stone, The Face and Time Out all including it in their lists of the all-time greatest dance or house songs. The advert also features a beautiful, newly reimagined version of the track courtesy of Labrinth.
The advert, created by Saatchi & Saatchi, takes the viewer to an ordinary family household on Christmas Day. It focuses on a teenage son who uses music as a medium to express his feelings for his father, ending with the strapline: “If you can’t find the words, find the gift.” A gift of a vinyl copy of Alison Limerick’s ‘Where Love Lives’ transports the father back to dancing with his friends in a club in the 1990s. As the song swells to a crescendo and strobe lights flash, it depicts his earliest memories of his son: the music becomes a bridge between memory and love, between then and now.
The scene shifts back to the present day, as Labrinth’s newly reimagined version of the track echoes softly. The son catches his father enjoying his gift, who then pulls him into an embrace. They share a quiet, unspoken moment – a wordless “thank you,” carrying the weight of “I know we aren’t as close as we used to be but I love you.”
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