Whatever anyone expected from this year’s John Lewis Christmas advert, it probably wasn’t this.
A soft rebuke to Netflix’s Emmy-winning Adolescence, the new campaign flips the script on how teenage boys are portrayed on screen: not as moody monsters or future incels, but as awkward, emotional, and quietly kind.
A grumpy teen, an ageing raver dad, and one 90s club anthem. John Lewis has delivered a Christmas ad that’s equal parts tearjerker and redemption arc.
The kids are alright
In the two-minute film, a withdrawn teenager hides behind his headphones, struggling to connect with his dad. His sister’s confident; he’s not. Instead, he gives his father a vinyl copy of Where Love Lives by Alison Limerick, newly covered by Labrinth.
It’s a song his dad once lived for, and when that bassline drops, the distance between them disappears. They don’t need to speak. The music says what they can’t.
Fathers, sons, and soundtracks
For the first time in John Lewis advert history, the focus is on a father-son relationship. No penguins, no moon men, no animals. Just two people trying to meet halfway.
The dad, all bad jokes and clumsy charm, can’t quite say “I love you.” The son can’t either. But when the record spins, something changes. The nostalgia isn’t just for youth; it’s for moments that never happened, words that were never said.
A quiet response to pop culture
The ad feels like a calm correction to Netflix’s Adolescence, where teenage boys were portrayed as volatile and broken. That series, though brilliantly acted, left little space for ordinary boys just trying to figure things out.
John Lewis’s story feels closer to real life. Many teens aren’t angry or dangerous. They’re just unsure, emotional, and learning how to express it.
Sweet, manipulative, and meaningful
Yes, it’s still an advert. Yes, it’s designed to make you cry. But it’s also refreshing to see empathy aimed at a group that’s been mocked or feared in recent years.
When the dad finally plays the record, he’s transported to his youth. But instead of getting lost in the past, he’s reminded of what really matters now: the kid in front of him.
By the end, both are smiling. It’s awkward and sincere, and that’s exactly why it works.
Where To
Discovery – Where to join the conversation
Watch the full John Lewis 2025 Christmas ad on YouTube or check the behind-the-scenes feature on Instagram. TikTok’s already full of reaction videos under #WhereLoveLivesAd.
Acquisition – Where to buy or own
Grab the Labrinth version of Where Love Lives on John Lewis Music in the UK or pre-order the vinyl via Amazon in the US. The original Alison Limerick version is streaming on Spotify and Apple Music.
Immersion – Where to go or watch live
Labrinth headlines at the O2 Arena in London and Madison Square Garden in New York this December. Tickets are available via Ticketmaster. For 90s dance nostalgia, the Ministry of Sound Winter Reunion is listed on Resident Advisor.
Sustainment – Where to stream
Watch all John Lewis Christmas ads on Prime Video and ITVX. The official playlist for Where Love Lives is updated weekly on Spotify.
Sometimes the best gift isn’t wrapped. It’s played.
In a year when television turned teenage boys into villains, John Lewis has done something radical: it showed them as human.