John Lewis Spans Iconic Eras to Bring Brand Promise to Life
John Lewis unveils its biggest ever marketing campaign to bring to life its refreshed brand promise.
John Lewis announces the return of its century-old Never Knowingly Undersold commitment in a reimagined form that reflects how customers shop today. From Monday, John Lewis will be price-matching 25 major UK retailers in stores and online with the help of AI technology.
The new campaign - which launches on TV on 19th September - explores what it means to ‘Live Knowingly’ and reinstates the Never Knowingly Undersold brand promise.
At the heart of Living Knowingly, John Lewis focused on the themes of Knowing and Wisdom. It pays tribute to life’s beauty in knowing ourselves and others, how wisdom is a driving force in understanding who we are and our loved ones, and that, throughout, John Lewis is there at every step of the way.
The campaign launches with a 90-second film created by Saatchi & Saatchi that celebrates John Lewis’ constant and reassuring presence on high streets and how, for over 100 years, John Lewis shop windows have seen many changes. The changing windows in the film span key historical occasions to the simplest and most intimate of everyday moments, all with a constant drumbeat of changing tastes, styles, fashion, beauty, and technologies.
In the film, we see a single window change over a century as it is dressed and redressed - every different display representing a different wisdom spanning over 100 years of living knowingly. The film spans iconic eras including the roaring '20s, the outbreak of war when our store was used as an air raid bunker, the swinging '60s, and the present day.
It’s a love letter to a world in flux, reminding us that the things that matter, like the best of wisdoms, always endure - and that to live ‘knowingly’ is to live a life full of positive intent, joy, connection, and impact. The film reflects that our wisdoms, and their meanings crystallise as we get older and move through life, which is supplemented by an emotive voice-over script, and lines such as "I didn't know how beautiful I was then."
As part of the creative process, Saatchi & Saatchi sourced wisdoms from everywhere - some very well known, some it had to dig deep to seek out, and some written from scratch. These wisdoms come from John Lewis customers, Partners, and agency copywriters, from wise people who have shaped John Lewis' past, to those who are shaping the future.
The ad, directed by KingShe, draws heavily from material in John Lewis' archives department to give the film real authenticity, and to reflect the joy customers felt for embracing new products for the first time, at different times.
It also includes unique work developed in partnership with a range of British talent and artists. The dresses worn in the ad are based on original John Lewis designs, developed in collaboration with newly acquired designer Sister Jane, as well as duvet dress designs shown in the sleep-themed window, created by emerging sustainable designer Ed Marler.
Bafta fellow and actress Samantha Morton delivers a moving monologue about what living knowingly means before seeing our promise Never Knowingly Undersold reinstated in today's window.
The soundtrack is provided by a specially created, reimagined version of Paul Simon’s I Know What I Know, performed by British music artist, Laura Mvula.
The ad goes live in key programming from 19th September. Exact programming is still being finalised but will include Googlebox on 20th September and Bake Off on 24th September.
The windows in the film will be recreated in shops across the John Lewis estate. Oxford Circus tube station will also be taken over, as well as activations across nationwide OOH, Press, Social media, and Online Video.
Unusually for John Lewis, the advert is the first in a trilogy and the theme of Knowingly will be explored in further adverts which run over the seasonal peak.
Charlotte Lock, John Lewis customer director, said, “We’ve looked to our heritage to inform our 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 our Britain, showing the changing trends and events over the past century.
“Our launch ad travels back to 1925 when we first introduced Never Knowingly Undersold, through the perspective of our Oxford Street shop window. The enduring value and values John Lewis represents are as important today as they were a century ago. ”
“You can expect the most exciting Golden Quarter ever from John Lewis, full of shop investment, new partnerships, new brands and experiences and a series of very special adverts starting with this one. We are starting a conversation about what it means to ‘Live Knowingly’ and are doing so with John Lewis’s signature British eccentricity.”
Franki Goodwin, chief creative officer at Saatchi & Saatchi, said, “Bringing back the Never Knowingly Undersold promise and launching the Live Knowingly platform has allowed us to delve into the rich archives of John Lewis, uncovering the deep connection this brand has shared with the nation for over a century. This isn't just a shop - it's been everything from a date night destination to a bomb shelter. It’s where you might have first laid eyes on a bra, a toaster, or a sleep mask. Every piece of wisdom and window display is crafted with a profound understanding of our past and present customers. It's a beautiful and resonant tribute to our heritage.”
Never Knowingly Undersold is one element of a comprehensive ongoing investment plan to excite John Lewis customers. The broader plans for John Lewis involve exciting new collaborations, investment in shops and delivering brands to customers in new ways.
