Watch the 2025 John Lewis Christmas advert

This ad hit people hard, and honestly, I get why. When so many people are cutting back, it comes across as tone-deaf. What most people don’t realize is that holiday campaigns like this are planned months in advance. By spring, brands are already pitching Christmas because the last two months of the year can make up 30-40% of annual sales. Teams get so focused on numbers that they lose sight of the consumer sentiment when the ad finally drops. It doesn’t excuse the message, but it does explain ho