John Lewis defends its Christmas advert as the 'true spirit of Christmas' after critics accuse it of 'pandering to spoiled kids'

Dame Kristin Scott Thomas stars as Gloria, a wealthy grandmother who wins over her initially indifferent grandchildren by finding them the perfect gifts in the three-minute film, entitled 'Gloria and Pickles'. John Lewis responded to the backlash on X, saying "gifting across generations can feel tricky" and urging shoppers to "back their instincts". But the defence failed to win over Piers Morgan, who called it "possibly the worst advert I've ever seen for anything".

Analyst firm Kantar praised the casting but said the ad "lacks the emotive punch of previous years".

Creative effectiveness firm System1 rated it 5.6 stars — John Lewis's highest score since 'Excitable Edgar' in 2019.