John Lewis has launched its 2026 Christmas advert, Gloria and Pickles, starring Dame Kristin Scott Thomas alongside a vintage toy dog voiced by Paul Whitehouse. The 20th edition of the retailer’s Christmas campaign runs under the tagline “Don’t give up on giving” and encourages customers to make festive gifts personal again, rather than falling back on cash.
Created by Saatchi & Saatchi and directed by BAFTA-winning director Lucy Forbes, whose work includes This Is Going to Hurt and Eric, the campaign launches with a three-minute advert. The soundtrack is a new cover of The Rolling Stones’ You Can’t Always Get What You Want by Sam Fender, released on 3 November and his first new music since Rein Me In.
The story opens on Christmas Eve, as Gloria welcomes her daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren, Freddie and Maggie. To keep the restless children entertained she brings her old toy collection down from the attic and introduces them to Pickles, a vintage Little Snoopy pull-along toy, but they are soon distracted, leaving her feeling she does not know what they really want.
Alone, Gloria writes the children’s Christmas cards and slips cash inside each envelope, until Pickles springs to life and tells her “You can do better than cash”. The toy drags her out on a last-minute gifting mission through London, and a ride in a brightly coloured TukTuk prompts an idea that leads her to John Lewis. On Christmas morning the children open their cards to find them empty; instead, Gloria holds up a key that opens her home office, transformed into a “Gran Cave” of sparkling lights, disco balls and music inspired by her TukTuk adventure.
“I simply couldn’t resist the opportunity to lead a John Lewis Christmas advert – it’s such a cherished part of the festive season. Plus, Gloria’s journey captured my heart straight away. She 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.”
Dame Kristin Scott Thomas, Actress
Fender’s single will be available soon on 7” vinyl and CD from the John Lewis website, backed with his 2020 cover of Winter Song, which is being released physically for the first time. John Lewis will donate all profits from each record and CD sold to Action for Children, its charity partner for the Building Happier Futures programme, which supports people who have grown up in care. The retailer expects the donation to total at least £18,000.
“It was a privilege to rework such an iconic song by such a legendary band. In the spirit of Christmas, we re-recorded the children’s choir with the kids from my old school, John Spence Community High School, and we arranged a brass section with the Easington Colliery Band.”
Sam Fender, Singer-songwriter
“I’m a fan of Sam’s work, so I was pleased to hear he was covering one of my songs. I think he’s done a great job with it.”
Mick Jagger, The Rolling Stones
The campaign follows the father and son story of last year’s Where Love Lives, which was also created by Saatchi & Saatchi.
“The John Lewis Christmas advert is a beloved tradition, but for its 20th edition, we wanted it to feel extra special. 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.”
Rosie Hanley, Marketing & Loyalty Director, John Lewis
“This year has been a joyful collaboration with a series of icons; a Dame, a record-breaking artist, and an enduring wooden toy. 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.”
Franki Goodwin, Chief Creative Officer, Saatchi & Saatchi
The advert premiered on John Lewis’ social channels, including YouTube and Instagram, at 7.30am on 3 November, and makes its television debut the same evening during Coronation Street on ITV and The Great British Bake Off on Channel 4.
Terry Clark is the Publisher and Content Director of 365 Retail, with more than a decade of experience covering retail design, technology innovations, store openings and the wider retail industry. He also works closely with leading retailers, suppliers, agencies, events and industry awards across the UK.
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