Kristin Scott Thomas stars in John Lewis Christmas advert

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 3 Nov, 00:26 · Archive

John Lewis has released its 20th annual Christmas advertisement, starring Kristin Scott Thomas as a grandmother named Gloria searching for gifts with a talking toy dog called Pickles, voiced by comedian Paul Whitehouse. The campaign, with the tagline 'don't give up on giving', sees Gloria initially dismissed by her grandchildren Freddie and Maggie when she offers cash. Pickles challenges her to 'do better than cash', spurring her into action.

Gloria embarks on a last-minute gift mission, travelling through London by tuk-tuk to John Lewis. After visiting other shops, she settles on disco balls and fairy lights, using them to transform her study into a 'gran cave' where she can spend time with her grandchildren listening to music and dancing.

Rosie Hanley, marketing director at John Lewis, said the company had increased its festive advertising spend this year as production costs had risen. She said the department store wanted to 'push the boat out' for its 20th anniversary and was confident it would see 'a really strong return on our investment' as it seeks to grab shoppers' attention before Black Friday later this month. Hanley added that the company wanted the advertisement 'to be more joyful' this year because 'things are tough for lots of families'.

How it is being reported

• John Lewis Christmas ad stars Kristin Scott Thomas as glamorous granny on a gift huntCompany tugs at heartstrings with Pickles the talking toy dog as it celebrates 20 years of blockbuster festive ads John Lewis has turned to a celebrity best known for playing aristocrats to put a playful but rather upmarket spin on the countdown to Christmas with this year’s festive ad, which features a toy dog called Pickles and a glamorous granny. Kristin Scott Thomas, known for playing upper-crust characters in films such as Four Weddings and a Funeral and the Apple TV show Slow Horses, is cast as Gloria, a grandmother searching for gift inspiration, with the tagline “don’t give up on…The Guardian · 3 Nov, 00:01
• Kristin Scott Thomas stars in festive John Lewis jaunt with toy dog PicklesDame Kristin and Pickles, voiced by Paul Whitehouse, take off on a tuk-tuk ride around London to find a better gift than cash inside a Christmas card.Independent Business · 3 Nov, 00:01

In this story: Kristin Scott Thomas · Paul Whitehouse · John Lewis · London

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