2024 John Lewis Advert: Richard Ashcroft’s Sonnet Gets the Festive Treatment

Britpop Goes Christmas

In the UK, the John Lewis Christmas ad is less of a TV spot and more of a communal nostalgia bomb—a yearly ritual that weaves itself into the fabric of December. For 2024, John Lewis took a left turn, ditching the usual soft cover songs in favor of Richard Ashcroft’s acoustic version of Sonnet, a 1998 track by The Verve. It’s the kind of song that hits Millennials and Gen Xers like a flashback—reminding them of a time when music was all cigarettes, rainy afternoons, and the feeling that the world owed you an explanation.

The Ashcroft Effect

Using Sonnet wasn’t just about music; it was a direct hit to the collective memory. This isn’t holiday cheer in a jingle—it’s melancholy and longing wrapped in an acoustic strum. The ad launched, and suddenly there was a spike in searches for Ashcroft’s music. People were going back to playlists they hadn’t touched in years, digging up CDs from college. By pairing Christmas with Sonnet, John Lewis turned a commercial break into a full-on time warp, giving viewers a moment of “I remember when…”

And maybe that’s why it works. Even if some are sceptical about it according to The Independent. Sonnet isn’t a cosy fireside carol; it’s a reminder that the holidays are as much about looking back as they are about moving forward. Ashcroft’s voice has this rawness that makes you feel like he’s singing about every December you’ve ever had, especially the ones where things weren’t perfect. Also pretty smart of Ashcroft to release just before Christmas with this song, but also covering the traditional Christmas song “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” on it.

“Wonderful Dream (Holidays Are Coming)” by Melanie Thornton

The Song That Became a Tradition

If you grew up in Germany, Christmas doesn’t officially start when you put up the tree or the first snow falls—it starts when over 300 Coca-Cola’s red trucks roll onto the screen, glittering with holiday lights, and Melanie Thornton’s Wonderful Dream starts playing. This song isn’t just an ad soundtrack; it’s a seasonal alarm clock, a cue for Germany to shift into holiday mode. But here’s the twist: Coca-Cola never intended for it to become a cultural staple. When it first aired in 2001, it was meant to be a one-off campaign. Then, tragedy struck. Melanie Thornton passed away in a plane crash shortly after the song’s release, and just like that, her voice became the soulful echo of a season.

The unexpected happened—Wonderful Dream became a Christmas memorial, a song that felt as comforting as it did bittersweet. Every time it plays, there’s a sense of nostalgia mixed with reverence. Germans embraced it, transforming a soft-drink commercial into a ritual that feels more sacred with each passing year. Coca-Cola didn’t just sell soda; they stumbled into something much deeper, something akin to tradition.

This year Coca-Cola continues their Christmas tradition with a completely AI generated Christmas Ad for this seasonal truck tour to start into the festival time of the year. Even if they received criticism about a lack of Santa and maybe because of that, Coca-Cola reused last year’s spot with a call-out for more Santas and a new wonderful Christmas song by Celeste. 

Playing a bit more around with AI you can also talk to Santa and create with your wishes and memories your own digital snow globe.

“All I Want for Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey

The Pop Queen of Christmas Cash Flow

Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas Is You is more than a song; it’s a financial empire with sleigh bells. It’s festive capitalism wrapped in a catchy melody, recorded in just 15 minutes with her collaborator Walter Afanasieff. Since its release in 1994, it has become the sonic definition of the holiday season, raking in over $80 million in royalties—earning more in December alone than some songs make in a lifetime. Every year, it’s the gift that keeps on giving, returning to the charts with the same inevitability as holiday lights going up in November.

And let’s be real: Mariah isn’t just singing about Christmas—she is Christmas. Her dedication is almost surreal. Starting on November 1, she flips her life into full holiday mode, transforming her home into a red-and-green wonderland. Every room is decorated to the nines, as if Santa himself hired her as chief decorator. She doesn’t just dabble in Christmas; she lives it, treats it like a lifestyle. For Mariah, holiday spirit isn’t something you turn off after Boxing Day; it’s a brand.

Here’s a fun fact: Mariah doesn’t just sing about Christmas—she embodies it. Starting November 1, she reportedly transforms her home into a Christmas wonderland, complete with a strict holiday aesthetic. She’s even known to decorate her space with red, green, and festive lights, treating every day as if it’s Christmas Eve. This holiday dedication isn’t just personal; it’s marketing gold. Brands like Amazon, McDonald’s, and Walkers have licensed the song for their commercials, banking on Mariah’s Christmas obsession to channel that festive spirit into their products.

 “Last Christmas” by Wham!

The Holiday Song That Almost Wasn’t

You know it. You hum it. You’ve probably belted it out at every holiday party since you were old enough to hold a fake microphone. But here’s the plot twist: Last Christmas wasn’t supposed to be a Christmas song. Legend has it that George Michael wrote it in his childhood bedroom, originally calling it Last Easter. Yes, Easter. Imagine a song about heartbreak and reflection set in springtime, with zero jingle bells or mistletoe. It was a melancholic pop track about love lost—until a record exec saw the potential and suggested a Christmas rewrite. A festive twist, a few bells, and Last Christmas was born.

But the drama didn’t end there. Last Christmas almost went down in flames before it ever hit the airwaves. Wham! found themselves in court, accused of “borrowing” the melody from Can’t Smile Without You, a 1970s hit by The Carpenters. It was a showdown between British pop royalty and an American classic, a legal battle over who truly owned the holiday heartbreak sound. George Michael eventually won the case, and, in a turn of festive spirit, decided to donate the song’s royalties to charity. Last Christmas became more than a seasonal anthem; it became a song with a soul, a tune with both a charitable and bittersweet heart.

Today, Last Christmas isn’t just another holiday jingle. It’s the anti-Christmas Christmas song. It’s a reminder that the season isn’t all joy and cheer; sometimes it’s about loss, memories, and moving on. Every December, as we sing along, it’s like a collective catharsis—a reminder that, yes, love can be messy and complicated, even under the glow of Christmas lights. George Michael gave us a holiday anthem for the brokenhearted, and in doing so, he gave Christmas a soundtrack that’s as real as it is timeless.

Wishing everybody a wonderful Christmas time!