British retailer John Lewis & Partners is proving that sometimes Christmas cheer can come with a healthy dose of happy tears. The company selected Elton John to star in its new holiday commercial, and when you give it a watch, there won’t be a dry eye in the house.
The commercial begins with a modern-day John sitting at a piano. As he plays, the audience is taken through a series of flashbacks highlighting major moments in his career — from playing in bars to performing in huge venues. And, of course, there’s the moment when he was given his very first piano as a Christmas gift.
See it all unfold in this video from the John Lewis & Partners YouTube channel. Oh, and keep the tissues handy:
The advertisement comes full-circle when you realize the piano John got as a boy is the same one he plays as an adult at the very beginning of the commercial. It’s a tear-jerker, for sure, and it does an excellent job of driving home the main point: Some gifts are more than just a gift.
In case you were wondering, the commercial’s portrayal of John had an impact on the famous musician himself. “It was incredibly moving to see such treasured memories reimagined on the screen. No matter what happens in your life, those moments from your childhood mold you, and stay with you forever,” John said in a statement on the John Lewis & Partners website.
He added on Twitter: “What a pleasure it was to be part of this wonderful @jlandpartners Christmas advert. Hope you enjoy it.”
What a pleasure it was to be part of this wonderful @jlandpartners Christmas advert. Hope you enjoy it. Elton xo
#EltonJohnLewis <imgsrc=”” alt=”🎹” class=”wp-smiley” style=”height: 1em; max-height: 1em;”>pic.twitter.com/LnA0clEcSW— Elton John (@eltonofficial) November 15, 2018
This isn’t the first time John Lewis & Partners has absolutely nailed it with a commercial either. Remember the “Bohemian Rhapsody” cover that was circling the internet a few months ago? Yep, this company did that one too.
To jog your memory, here’s the John Lewis & Partners rendition of Queen’s hit song from YouTube:
In this ad, the goal was to prove that collaborating as a group can often lead to “something magical.”
“We wanted to show that really interesting things can happen when people feel part of something and they work together to create something magical,” Paul Knott, the creative director for communications agency adam&eveDDB said of the project in a behind-the-scenes interview.
Thoughtful videos like these remind you that the season is all about coming together to create some magical memories.
Happy holidays!