John Lewis launches Gloria and Pickles Christmas ad with Kristin Scott Thomas and a Sam Fender Rolling Stones cover

Key Takeaways

• John Lewis and Saatchi & Saatchi have launched Gloria and Pickles, the 20th edition of the retailer's Christmas advert, directed by Lucy Forbes.

• Dame Kristin Scott Thomas plays grandmother Gloria, while Paul Whitehouse voices Pickles, a vintage Little Snoopy pull-along toy that talks her out of giving cash.

• Sam Fender covers You Can't Always Get What You Want, with John Lewis profits from the 7" and CD going to Action for Children.

• The three-minute film premiered on John Lewis channels on 3 November, followed by a 60-second version on ITV and Channel 4 that evening.

John Lewis has launched Gloria and Pickles, the 20th edition of its Christmas advert, in which Dame Kristin Scott Thomas plays a grandmother who is about to put cash in her grandchildren's cards until a vintage pull-along toy dog, voiced by Paul Whitehouse, comes to life and objects. The three-minute film was created by Saatchi & Saatchi and directed by Lucy Forbes, and it runs under the line "Don't give up on giving". The soundtrack is Sam Fender's cover of You Can't Always Get What You Want by The Rolling Stones.

The idea came from research finding that 52 per cent of grandparents give cash because they are unsure what youngsters really want. Rosie Hanley, Marketing & Loyalty Director at John Lewis, counted herself among the guilty when she said, "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." The song, meanwhile, has the approval of Mick Jagger, who said of the cover, "I think he's done a great job with it."

The film opens on Christmas Eve as Gloria prepares for the arrival of her daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren, bringing out her old toys including Pickles, although the children soon lose interest in them. She settles on cash in their Christmas cards, at which point Pickles springs to life, challenges her to "do better than cash" and drags her on a last-minute gift hunt across London. After gifts from other shops are rejected, a colourful tuk-tuk rescues the pair, and the ride gives Gloria the idea that brings her to a stop outside John Lewis. On Christmas morning the envelopes are empty and Gloria holds up a single key instead, which unlocks her home office, now converted into a "Gran Cave" of lights, disco balls and music that outperforms the pull-along dog.

Scott Thomas said of her character, "She represents so many parents and grandparents who want nothing more than to create lasting memories with the younger generation." Franki Goodwin, Chief Creative Officer at Saatchi & Saatchi, described the cast by saying, "This year has been a joyful collaboration with a series of icons; a Dame, a record-breaking artist, and an enduring wooden toy." That toy is a Fisher Price Classics Little Snoopy Pull-Along Toy, which leads the retailer's list of hero products alongside a small disco ball decoration, a neon star light, an Audio-Technica turntable and a Mulberry Eliza tote.

The single was released on 3rd November and is Fender's first new music since the record-breaking success of Rein Me In, his duet with Olivia Dean, which reached number one in the UK in February and won Song of the Year at the Brit Awards. For the John Lewis version he re-recorded the children's choir with pupils from his former school, John Spence Community High School, and arranged a brass section with Easington Colliery Band. Physical copies on 7" and CD are backed with his 2020 cover of Winter Song, and all John Lewis profits go to Action for Children, an amount expected to reach at least £18,000, while profits from physical sales through Fender's own store go to Teenage Cancer Trust.