John Lewis casts Dame Kristin Scott Thomas and a talking toy dog in its 20th Christmas ad

John Lewis has cast Dame Kristin Scott Thomas as Granny Gloria in its 20th Christmas advert, pairing her with Pickles, a talking toy dog voiced by Paul Whitehouse.

To mark the anniversary, the retailer has given the lead role to a Dame for the first time. For many British viewers, the John Lewis ad signals the start of the festive season.

Clues have already appeared in the retailer's Oxford Street windows in London, where a small green ball on a stick wags among the moving festive scenes. It is Pickles' tail.

Pickles is the Fisher-Price Little Snoopy, a vintage pull-along toy that has been sold for 60 years, so plenty of women of Gloria's age are likely to have owned one as children.

Cash in a card

The brief came from John Lewis research showing that around half of its customers lack confidence about giving gifts, many of whom play safe by putting cash in a card.

Running to three minutes, the hero film turns that habit into a story. Lucy Forbes, who is directing HBO's forthcoming Harry Potter series, made it through Smuggler. The soundtrack is You Can't Always Get What You Want, the Rolling Stones song, covered by Sam Fender. Its theme, that people end up with what they need rather than what they want, is more or less the ad in a line.

The film starts as Gloria unlocks a smart mahogany door with a brass key, revealing her calm, orderly study, a room she plainly wants to keep her lively grandchildren out of. On Christmas Eve her family turns up. She bends down for a hug, but the children rush past her, saying they need the loo, and start bouncing on the sofas. Keen to make the visit special, she brings her old toy box down from the attic, but they are unimpressed and vanish as soon as lunch is called.

Short of gift ideas, she falls back on slipping banknotes into their Christmas cards. At that point Pickles comes to life and tells her: “You can do better than cash.” He hauls her off on a gifting mission (“Gift emergency coming through”), and a neon pink tuk-tuk turns up playing music from a record player. It is not her scene, but Pickles pushes her on. “Lighten up, Grandma!” he shouts, and with a “Yeehaw” they set off across London, stopping at John Lewis.

As with Snapper the Venus flytrap in 2023, Pickles brings a playful character into the retailer's Christmas storytelling.

On Christmas morning Gloria hands over the cards. Freddie shakes his and turns it upside down looking for money, but there is none inside. With a knowing smile, Gloria raises the key.

Her study has been turned into the ‘Gran Cave’. Inspired by the tuk-tuk ride, it is a sparkling den of cushions, disco balls, fairy lights and a record player, all of it from John Lewis, and the three dance together in clothes sold by the store as the strapline appears: “Don’t give up on giving.” Gloria's house is warm, tasteful and comfortably aspirational, which is familiar John Lewis territory.

John Lewis chief marketing officer Anna Braithwaite said the decision not to pack the Gran Cave with more product was deliberate: “We are a brand of restraint.” Gift edits organised by age and recipient are due nearer Christmas.

Casting and music

It was Scott Thomas who suggested Whitehouse. The team was looking for a performer able to be cheeky towards a screen icon without losing warmth, and Whitehouse delivers the “Lighten up, Grandma” line with sharp comic timing.

The song was Forbes' idea after seeing Fender speak about his love of the original. Saatchi & Saatchi chief creative officer Franki Goodwin said the agency decided to “make this bromance happen.” Mick Jagger has given his backing: “I’m a fan of Sam’s work… I think he’s done a great job with it.”

The track had never before been licensed for an advert. It also spans generations, as some viewers will never have heard of Jagger, while others, Scott Thomas among them, have never heard of Fender. Cover versions have long been a fixture of the retailer's Christmas ads, giving the retailer a back catalogue of reworked classics.

Rosie Hanley, marketing director at John Lewis, said: “It’s a storyline that so many of our customers will relate to; I’ve definitely resorted to putting cash in an envelope for fear of getting it wrong.”

Rollout

This is Saatchi & Saatchi's fourth John Lewis Christmas ad since it won the account in 2023. The agency has previously likened the responsibility to “taking the reins of a movie franchise.” Its previous two ads were ‘The Gifting Hour’ in 2024 and ‘Where Love Lives’ in 2025.

The ad is one part of a year-round gifting push by the retailer and its agency. That push also includes the Gift List, a vodcast hosted by Angela Scanlon, which is recorded in Box Studio, a new space at the Oxford Street flagship where creators can make their own content.

The film debuted at 7.30am on 3 November on the retailer's social channels before moving to TV on ITV, Channel 4 and Sky, where it appears in breaks during Coronation Street and Bake Off. Cut-down versions are running on BVOD and streaming services.

Fender's version has been released on 7” vinyl and CD, with all profit from the music going to charity: John Lewis has chosen Action for Children, and Fender's share will support Teenage Cancer Trust.

Simon Cheadle was creative director at Saatchi & Saatchi, OMD Manning Gottlieb handled media and Selected Works did post-production.