John Lewis' Christmas advert for 2024 is here - and it features one big difference

John Lewis has created a memory-filled tear-jerker for its highly-anticipated Christmas advert - and this year it features one major difference.

The advert, called The Gifting Hour, features a woman frantically buying a last-minute gift for her sister. It opens with heroine Sally running into the retailer’s Oxford Street flagship store, the first time a John Lewis store has appeared in its Christmas ad, 15 minutes before closing time.

Falling through a rack of dresses, she steps into the attic of her childhood home and embarks on a journey through her memories of growing up with her sister as she searches for a thoughtful gift. As she returns to reality, Sally meets her sister outside the store with her wrapped present, and as they walk away her sister is reflected in the John Lewis window as the child from her memories.

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And in a major departure from recent years, the soundtrack for the advert is not a cover. The music that accompanies it is provided by Richard Ashcroft, the former Verve frontman, with his song Sonnet, from his Acoustic Hymns album.

This year, the retailer is holding a competition on TikTok to find an aspiring artist to cover the song, with the help of Ashcroft and record label BMG. The winner will record their own version of Sonnet, which will feature in a special Christmas Day airing of the ad on TV, and the track will be officially released by BMG.

The two-minute TV advert, created by Saatchi & Saatchi and the third in a trilogy, ends with the strapline: “The secret to finding the perfect gift? Knowing where to look.”

John Lewis customer director Charlotte Lock said: “Our ad heroes the thoughtful gift-giver and