The 2024 Christmas ad from John Lewis department stores has arrived. This year’s much anticipated TV commercial, continuing the Xmas tradition of John Lewis, is the two-minute “The Gifting Hour” created by Saatchi & Saatchi UK and directed by Francois Rousselet via production house Riff Raff.
In the ad, the heroine, Sally, has left it a little late to find the right gift for her sister this year and races into a John Lewis store at closing time. Falling through a rack of dresses, she enters a fantastical world. We first see her stumbling out of the wardrobe in the attic of her childhood home and from here we are taken on a whimsical journey through her memories as she searches for the ultimate present, against the clock.
Returning to the store and back to reality she has found the perfect gift, ready and wrapped. Sally then heads outside and has a special moment with her sister who will be the gift’s recipient. As they walk away we see her sister reflected in the John Lewis window as the child from her memories.
Credits
Client John Lewis Agency Saatchi & Saatchi UK Franki Goodwin, chief creative officer; Richard Huntington, chief strategy officer; Jessica Ringshall, chief production officer; Eoin Mclaughlin, executive creative director; Ali Dickinson, creative director; Mia Silverman, associate creative director; Sam Robinson, executive production director; Adam Walker, executive producer. Production Company Riff Raff Francois Rousselet, director; Jane Tredget, exec producer; Jay Lovelock, producer; Katie Keith, production manager; Nicolas Karakatsanis, DP; Alexandre Vivet, production designer; PC Williams, costume designer; Kharmel Cochrane, casting. Postproduction ETC Luke Morrison, colorist; Alex Snookes, VFX supervisor; Antonia Vlasto, exec producer; Oscar Wendt, producer. Editorial Final Cut Amanda James, editor; Nikki Porter, producer. Sound 750mph Sam Ashwell, sound design & sound mix; Jake Ashwell, Mark Hellaby, sound design; Olivia Ray, head of production. Music Wake The Town Dom Bastyra, music supervisor.
FCB Health New York, an IPG Health company, and SAFE Project have joined forces to create “The Snowball,” a short film that spotlights winter as a common catalyst for dangerous increases in alcohol consumption. In collaboration with creative studio LOBO, “The Snowball” combines a compelling visual metaphor with cutting-edge animation and a haunting soundtrack from Billie Holiday.
As millions embrace “Dry January,” the onset of colder, shorter winter days still leads to an uptick in alcohol misuse, which can lead to liver cirrhosis and other medical maladies and dangerous consequences for one’s life. Speaking to casual drinkers, “The Snowball” visually illustrates how anyone is at risk of becoming addicted to alcohol during this time of year when external climate variables can lead to excess consumption, even if the drinker does not immediately realize it.
Making good on the metaphor, the film follows one man as a quick liquor run gradually devolves into a full-blown addiction as a snowball gradually grows beside him, engulfing his whole life and eventually causing his demise. Set to the tune of Billie Holiday’s “Everything I Have Is Yours,” the film’s pathos is drawn from the sonic integrity of Holiday’s original recording maintained in the sound design as well as the singer’s tragic battle with substance abuse.
This entirely animated film was created using a hands-on, collaborative process rooted in traditional animation techniques, with every aspect of the artwork creation, design, and craftsmanship crafted entirely by human hands. AI-driven tools and processes were brought in during the animation rendering stage, helping the film achieve a distinct visual style that would have been difficult to achieve through... Read More
