BITE Insight

Even the most famous stars have to start somewhere. Their talent must be honed and their skill developed. And sometimes you need a few tools to help you on your way, a few well-timed, well-chosen gifts.

And now the Christmas-one-we’ve-all-been-waiting-for has been revealed. Adam&eveDDB’s Christmas ad for John Lewis & Partners this year tells the story of Elton John, rewinding back through his illustrious career to the moment he received his first piano. The Boy and The Piano is an ode to childhood dreams and the reality that “Some gifts are more than just a gift”.

This year marks the tenth Christmas ad that adam&eveDDB have produced for John Lewis and it follows in the footsteps of the likes of the Bear and the Hare, Moz the Monster and the Penguin.

The ad is sound-tracked by Your Song, John’s first major hit in 1970. As the ad moves back through John’s life, the five actors playing him change along with the pitch of his voice. By the end we watch as little five-year-old Elton receives his granny’s piano for Christmas, the gift that sparked the musician within.

John has sold more than 300 million records worldwide which makes him one of the best-selling artists in the world, alongside the likes of the Beatles, Madonna and Elvis Presley. John Lewis’ ad is a beautifully produced and cleverly told tale that, whilst initially feeling like a whirlwind biopic of the singer, eventually aligns itself perfectly with the brand’s Christmas messaging.