John Lewis unveils a new marketing campaign reviving its historic pledge.
- The campaign draws on a century-old promise “Never Knowingly Undersold.”
- It features a 90-second television ad with archival and new footage.
- The ad, part of a trilogy, highlights changing store windows over time.
- Key competitors’ prices, including Amazon and M&S, will be matched.
John Lewis has launched a fresh marketing initiative celebrating its long-standing pricing promise, ‘Never Knowingly Undersold.’ This campaign marks the return of the retailer’s commitment to price match across 25 prominent competitors, both online and on the high street.
The centrepiece of this initiative is a 90-second television advertisement, creatively crafted by Saatchi & Saatchi. This advert skilfully weaves together newly filmed scenes with archival footage, offering audiences a fascinating glimpse into various fashion trends and fads spanning from the 1920s to the 1980s. The film is an evocative narrative that uses a John Lewis store window as a symbolic lens, portraying the evolution of time from past to future.
This advertisement is the inaugural piece of a trilogy designed to capture the essence of retail’s ‘Golden Quarter,’ culminating with the highly anticipated John Lewis Christmas ad for 2024. The ad artistically transitions through different decades, showing iconic window displays that have featured innovations such as a toaster in 1925 to contemporary high-tech face masks. It also recreates moments from history, such as John Lewis’s Oxford Street store serving as a temporary war bunker during World War II.
The campaign will extend to both television and print, aiming to reinforce John Lewis’s enduring connection with its customers through its historical stance on competitive pricing. It includes the involvement of actor Samantha Morton as the narrator and features a modern rendition of Paul Simon’s ‘I Know What I Know’ by Laura Mvula. This campaign seeks to resonate deeply with the audience by connecting past and present through a storytelling approach.
Franki Goodwin, chief creative officer at Saatchi & Saatchi, emphasises the importance of this campaign in reconnecting the brand with its storied heritage, stating, “Bringing back the Never Knowingly Undersold promise and launching the Live Knowingly platform has allowed us to delve into the rich archives of John Lewis, uncovering the deep connection this brand has shared with the nation for over a century.”
This nostalgic campaign by John Lewis underscores their enduring commitment to competitive pricing and customer connection.
