An Unexpected Alien Guest Lands On Earth In John Lewis' 2021 Christmas Advert
This article is more than three years old.
What happens when an unexpected alien visitor lands in a festive forest? John Lewis have the answer in their 2021 Christmas advert.
One of the first surefire signs of winter is when the John Lewis Christmas advert drops and this year's offering from the British retailer has a paranormal twist.
The out-of-this-world ad, entitled 'Unexpected Guest' tells the magical story of a 14-year-old boy called Nathan all set to a haunting new version of Phil Oakey's 1984 classic 'Together In Electric Dreams'.
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After spotting a shooting star crashing into the woods behind his house, Nathan unexpectedly discovers an otherworldly guest, a blond-haired space traveller, Skye, who's crash landed in her spacecraft amongst the trees.
The space traveller, who kicks off major Eleven from 'Stranger Things' vibes, gets her first taste of Christmas on Earth thanks to Nathan, who introduces her to the season's traditions, including the delights of mince pies and decorating the Christmas tree. Skye even experiences the magic of seeing snow for the first time, but more importantly she's welcomed to a world of friendship and giving.
The commercial's sweet and fitting soundtrack, a melodic version of a 1980s classic, was recorded by Lola Young, a 20 year-old south London artist and BRIT school graduate. Unlike other songs from the retailer's festive ad back catalogue, this song wasn't performed specifically for the ad, it was originally released in 1997.
#UnexpectedGuest's director, Mark Molloy, is one of the most sought-after directors in the advertising industry at present. He's previously produced memorable ads for the likes of Qantas, Samsung, Nike, Toyota and Nissan.
Mark, who loved the script instantly said, "when I first started directing, I used to look at John Lewis Christmas ads as the pinnacle of commercial directing." He added, "if we can make every person who watches this have a little smile, or shed a little tear or feel something, then everyone's going to have a 1% better Christmas."
The ad stars Raffiella Chapman as the alien girl, Skye. Raffi has been acting since the age of five and has starred in works including Tim Burton's 'Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children'.
Skye's earthling friend is Nathan, played by Jordan Nash, who is best known for his lead role as Peter Pan in the fantasy drama 'Come Away'. The young actor said, "it's a privilege to be invited to do this to be honest, because it just signifies Christmas. You know, once that ad comes out, Christmas is here."
Feargal Ballance, creative director of adam&eveDDB who produced the ad said, "we tried to create a Christmas as magical as that first Christmas you remember."
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