John Lewis unveils 2022 Christmas advert with tear-jerking story of skateboarding foster dad

dailyrecord.co.uk:

John Lewis has tugged at the heartstrings of Christmas fans across the nation by using its highly-anticipated advert to raise awareness of children in care.The 90-second ad, entitled The Beginner and set to a cover of Blink 182's All the Small Things by US artist Mike Geier, tells the story of a middle-aged man learning to skateboard before welcoming a young teenager into the family home.As he struggles painfully to master skateboarding in the build-up to Christmas, viewers are left questioning the motive behind his perseverance until all is revealed in a heartwarming ending.During the final scene, a social worker comes to the door with young teenager Ellie, who has arrived at her new foster home carrying her skateboard.John Lewis said it understood that not all foster carers had the benefit of knowing who they would be looking after in advance and that its broader campaign also featured "authentic voices of carers" and "young people with different experiences of a complex care system".But it said that "in a challenging year, we felt it was important to demonstrate that it's what we do that matters most", adding it was proud to use its Christmas ad to "generate conversation and action around an often overlooked issue".It follows the launch of the partnership's Building Happier Futures programme to help young people with experience of the care system, including to move into the workforce.The ad was created with agency adam&eveDDB, with input from partner charities Action for Children and Who Cares?

Scotland. John Lewis declined to reveal a budget.It is almost entirely devoid of product placement except for two brief glimpses of the retailer's Lewis Bear toy.Customers can buy products including the £30 bear, £19 Lewis Bear