John Lewis Christmas advert 2024: retailer teases UK TV ad with Never Knowingly Undersold campaign, first look

• John Lewis has unveiled a new campaign centred around its revived ‘Never Knowingly Undersold’ price pledge
• The ‘through the decades’ ad is the first instalment in a trilogy leading up to the highly anticipated Christmas commercial
• The ad showcases a store window evolving over a century with iconic products and scenes from historical periods
• The ad features Laura Mvula's rendition of Paul Simon’s ‘I Know What I Know’ and a voiceover by Samantha Morton

A British retail institution has teased its upcoming Christmas advertisement with a new campaign focused on a recently revived price promise.

John Lewis’ "through the decades" TV ad is the first in a three-part series for the crucial retail 'golden quarter,' which will culminate in the department store's eagerly awaited Christmas commercial.

The first ad uses archive footage to highlight the evolution of a single store window over the past century as it is dressed and redressed with iconic products, including fashion from the 1920s and an innovative toaster that became a highlight in 1925.

The advert also features scenes from the outbreak of the Second World War, showing John Lewis' Oxford Street store - its first location - being used as a temporary bunker during the Blitz, 84 years ago.

The window also recreates the swinging 60s and the 1980s Lycra fitness craze before arriving in the present day with high-tech LED anti-ageing face masks.

The ad’s soundtrack, a version of Paul Simon’s ‘I Know What I Know’, is sung by Laura Mvula, while Bafta-winning actress Samantha Morton provides the voiceover.

The end of the ad features the Never Knowingly Undersold pledge, which began in 1925, reinstated on the shop window.

John Lewis brought back the pledge on 9 September in a major U-turn after ditching the commitment two years ago over concerns it was less relevant to shoppers.

John Lewis customer director Charlotte Lock said: “We’ve looked to our heritage to inform our refreshed value promise to customers, making it relevant for today by matching not only high street retailers but also online competitors – and we are backing it with the biggest marketing campaign in our history.

“We have drawn on our archives and are literally depicting a window on Britain, showing the changing trends and events over the past century.”

When will the Christmas ad be released?

Although Christmas is still a few months away at this point, excitement is already building for the 2024 John Lewis Christmas advert. But when will we see it?

The advert typically drops in early to mid-November, and in recent years, has often been released around the second week of November, suggesting that we might see the 2024 ad sometime between 8 and 14 November.

As for what might happen in the ad, John Lewis is known for creating heartwarming stories that focus on themes like kindness, family and giving, often with a touch of nostalgia or whimsy.

Given that the 2024 Christmas ad will be the third and final instalment in John Lewis's "through the decades" trilogy, it's likely to wrap up the narrative arc established in the previous two ads.

As the conclusion of the trilogy, the ad might bring a sense of closure, and could tie together the historical elements and themes explored in the first two ads, perhaps focusing on the present day or even projecting into the future.

What’s almost certain is that the ad will capture the magic of the festive season and become a conversation starter, as it always does.

What do you think the final chapter of John Lewis’s "through the decades" trilogy will bring? Share your predictions and thoughts in the comments section.