John Lewis Launches 2026 Christmas Advert
It’s that time of year again.
John Lewis has shared its 2026 Christmas advert, ‘Gloria and Pickles’, the 20th edition of the retailer’s iconic Christmas ads.
While many of John Lewis’s previous Christmas adverts have focused on children – such as 2014’s Monty the Penguin – this year stars Dame Kristin Scott Thomas and focuses on the relationship between a grandmother and her grandchildren.
Created by Saatchi & Saatchi and with music from Sam Fender, the three-minute advert follows grandmother Gloria and her childhood gift, Pickles the dog (voiced by Paul Whitehouse).
Underpinned by the tagline ‘Don’t give up on giving’ the ad zeroes in on the idea that the fear of not finding the perfect gift can overshadow the joy of giving something thoughtful.
“The John Lewis Christmas advert is a beloved tradition, but for its 20th edition, we wanted it to feel extra special,” says Rosie Hanley, Marketing and Loyalty Director at John Lewis.
“Bringing in the sparkle of Dame Kristin Scott Thomas and Sam Fender has helped bring this story to life beautifully. It’s a storyline that so many of our customers will relate to; I’ve definitely resorted to putting cash in an envelope for fear of getting it wrong.
“But our message this year is simple: ‘Don’t give up on giving.’ We hope this restores the nation’s gift-giving confidence and encourages customers to rediscover the joy of choosing something truly thoughtful for the people they love.”
The ad premieres on John Lewis social channels on the morning of 3 November, before running on TV during Coronation Street on ITV and The Great British Bake Off on Channel 4 on the same day.
Our message this year is simple: ‘Don’t give up on giving.’ We hope this restores the nation’s gift-giving confidence and encourages customers to rediscover the joy of choosing something truly thoughtful for the people they love.”
‘Gloria and Pickles’
This year’s Christmas ad was directed by Lucy Forbes, known for her work on This Is Going to Hurt and Eric.
It begins on Christmas Eve, with grandmother Gloria introducing her grandchildren, Freddie and Maggie to her childhood toy Pickles the dog, but they’re quickly distracted by calls for lunch, leaving Gloria feeling like she doesn’t know what her grandchildren really want.
As she goes to put money into her grandchildren’s Christmas cards, Paul Whitehouse’s Pickles the dog springs to life, telling Gloria “You can do better than cash”.
Pickles drags Gloria out of the house on a last-minute gifting session, with the two of them ending – naturally – at John Lewis.
On Christmas morning, Freddie and Maggie are surprised to find their envelopes empty. Instead, Gloria leads them to her newly designed ‘Gran Cave’ filled with sparkling lights, disco balls and music.
The two children throw their arms around their grandmother, surprised and excited by the thoughtful gift.
“This year has been a joyful collaboration with a series of icons; a Dame, a record-breaking artist and an enduring wooden toy,” says Franki Goodwin, Chief Creative Officer of Saatchi & Saatchi.
“I would also add our director Lucy Forbes to that list, who was for us, the only person to bring this powerful intergenerational story to life.
“Finding the perfect balance between relatable family dynamics and proper magic gave us the opportunity to create this glorious celebration of giving. This one really does have something for everyone.”
- 'Gloria and Pickles' marks the 20th edition of John Lewis's Christmas campaigns.
- The advert was scheduled to premiere on social channels on the morning of 3 November before airing on television during Coronation Street on ITV and The Great British Bake Off on Channel 4.
- Research from the Advertising Association indicates that UK advertisers spent £12.9bn (US$17.31bn) on media in the fourth quarter of 2025.
- A study by OnePulse revealed that 28% of British people look forward to Christmas adverts.
- 'Gloria and Pickles' was directed by Lucy Forbes, and stars Dame Kristin Scott Thomas.
The rise of the Christmas ad
In the 20 years since John Lewis launched its first Christmas advert, holiday campaigns have seen an explosion in popularity.
In Q4 2025, UK advertisers spent £12.9bn (US$17.31bn) on media, according to research from the Advertising Association, while findings from OnePulse revealed that 28% of British people look forward to Christmas ads.
Kristin, who played the role of Gloria, described the John Lewis Christmas advert as “such a cherished part of the festive season”, saying that the character of Gloria “represents so many parents and grandparents who want nothing more than to create lasting memories with the younger generation”.
“Working alongside Pickles to create the ‘Gran Cave’ was an absolute joy, and I hope the ad brings a big smile to families across the UK this Christmas,” she concluded.
Who are John Lewis’s key partners?
- Google Cloud: The John Lewis Partnership has a major strategic partnership with Google Cloud, helping to modernise its technology, e-commerce and data operations across both John Lewis and Waitrose.
- Deloitte: The strategic partnership between John Lewis and Deloitte began in 2019 when Deloitte was appointed as the main transformation partner to support the retailer's multi-year digital and operational evolution.
- Saatchi & Saatchi: Saatchi & Saatchi London was appointed as John Lewis’s lead creative marketing partner in May 2023.
- Salesforce: John Lewis uses Salesforce technology to unify data and improve customer and employee experiences.
Executives
Franki Goodwin
Chief Creative Officer (CCO)
Rosie Hanley
Marketing & Loyalty Director
