John Lewis Christmas advert 2016 live: Britain awaits release of festive institution
Welcome to the Independent’s live blog of the start of Christmas, also known as the launch of the John Lewis advert.
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↵Some Twitter users have claimed the latest campaign has "ruined Christmas"John Lewis sent us their reply:"We're sure Father Christmas has also visited Bridget and Buster the night before, this is just an extra special gift from her parents because she loves to bounce"More on this here:
People are complaining the John Lewis ad has ruined Christmas
The IndependentThe start of Christmas has also been known as the launch of the John Lewis advert, but some Twitter users are now complaining the retailer accidently ruined the magic of Christmas with its latest campaign.11/10/2016 2:05:27 AM -
Here is the latest data on John Lewis ad since its launch from 7.39 am to 1pm, according to Brandwatch.61,000 of John LewisMentions of #BusterTheBoxer 48,234John Lewis Twitter handle had 28,467 RTs
Mentions per minute peaked at 8:31 at 390 mentions per minute 
11/10/2016 2:30:27 AM -
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Last year you could only get the telescope that Lily used to spot the old man on the moon.But this year John Lewis is selling a lot of merchandise inspired by their Christmas ad campaign, It’s all likely to sell out fast (just look at what happened with Monty the penguin), so we’d recommend shopping quickly if you have your heart set on a cuddly Buster.11/10/2016 8:03:48 AM
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We already know that the advert cost about the same amount as it did last year - around £7 million and that the process has taken months and months.That's including filming costs, plus the surrounding campaign: from the soft toys of the characters which feature in the advert, to the bespoke Snapchat lense, which is available until midnight tonight and will transform users into Buster the dog.The Wildlife Trusts are this year's charity partners for the campaign, and they will receive a donation from every £15 soft Buster or £12 soft wild animal toy sold in connection with the ad.All the details below:
The John Lewis ad launches today. Here's all you need to know
John Lewis has reverted back to basics as it reveals a more festive advert after admitting last year’s Man on the Moon was “too sad”. The new two-minute clip Buster The Boxer, estimated to have cost about £7m, tells the story of a little girl called Bridget and five-year-old Biff as Buster her dog.11/10/2016 8:22:36 AM -
Vince Kerrigan, strategic solutions manager at brand communications agency, Vital communications, told us the release of this ad has been a "communication masterclass for brand owners".He said: “While it is not clear to what extent the timetable was pre-planned, the decision to officially release the ad just 24 hours after the US election result served to accentuate its uplifting message and put thoughts of surprise-filled, family Christmases top of mind. A definite break from the more melancholic reaction to last year’s campaign.
John Lewis teased 10 seconds of its new Christmas ad and people went nuts
The IndependentA teaser for John Lewis eagerly awaited Christmas advert might have already been posted online as fans count the days before its official release. John Lewis Christmas advert is expected to appear on our screen this Friday.11/10/2016 8:35:00 AM -
Our culture editor Christopher Hooton welcomes the fact that John Lewis bounced away from its usual tearjerker formula.Read his review:
John Lewis Christmas advert 2016 review: A pleasingly non-heartstring-tugging effort
First off, yes, I’m aware of the inherent absurdity of reviewing an advert, and yes, I’m seriously going to do this a day after perhaps the most significant political event of our lifetime.11/10/2016 8:57:17 AM -
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Wondering how it compares?Catch up with all the John Lewis ads so far with our roundup,Also these were the funniest reactions to last year's Man on the Moon11/10/2016 9:15:38 AM
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One reader tells us:"Think John Lewis should have commissioned the fake Christmas advert by the Bournemouth student and donated the £7 million to charity."In case you missed it the advert she is talking about is this one
People really want this to be the real John Lewis Christmas advert... But it's fake
The IndependentAs Christmas approaches every year, people eagerly await the release of John Lewis' advert. But this year, an A Level student has fooled the internet into thinking his video of a lonely snowman was this year's John Lewis offering.11/10/2016 9:30:10 AM -
Brands are celebrating Christmas early for a reason, for them it means big business.
The exact costs are kept secret but if you want an idea of how much John Lewis and Burberry are spending on your favourite ads and why have a look here:
This is how much John Lewis and Burberry are spending on your favourite ads
The IndependentWith more than a month to go before Christmas, John Lewis is already expected to release its latest tear-jerker on Friday, while Burberry has kickstarted the Christmas advertising battle with its campaign last week. Brands start celebrating Christmas early for a reason, for them it means big business.11/10/2016 9:35:16 AM -
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Another marketing specialist tell us that Buster the Boxer's change of tone was a smart idea.Maria Heckel, Marketing Director at the Chartered Institute of Marketin, said:
“2016 has been a year categorised by shocks, upsets and overturning the odds. It's no surprise then that John Lewis has focused its biggest ad of the year on being heart-warming and light-hearted rather than heart wrenching, focussing on family and man's best friend, rather than an isolated man on the moon.“
She adds that the adverts return to animals should be good for business.
“Yet whilst the ad might mark a return to animals, humour and a domestic setting, the marketers behind it have upped the ante. This isn't through spending more (a story that last year threatened to overshadow the creative), rather it's through making more of all the marketing channels that now engage consumers. This year John Lewis are using Snapchat filters, Twitter stickers and immersive in-store experiences to support and share the central Bounce theme.""In an echo of Monty the penguin, we also see a return to character merchandising, with cuddly versions of the animal stars available to buy now."11/10/2016 9:35:16 AM -
After previously opting for acoustic covers of ballads by Ellie Goulding, Gabrielle Aplin and Aurora, John Lewis followed the tradition of previous years by plumping for a female-fronted cover.
The artist soundtracking this year's advert is London-based Vaults.
You probably heard their song One Last Night featured on the Fifty Shades of Grey film soundtrack, while their debut album is expected in February 2017.More here
Meet Vaults, the band performing 'One Day I'll Fly Away' for this year's John Lewis advert
The IndependentAs has become a yearly tradition, retailer John Lewis has chosen an up-and-coming artist to perform a slowed-down cover version for their Christmas advert. This year, according to The Sun, London-based band Vaults has landed the prestigious gig, following in the footsteps of Aurora, Gabrielle Aplin, and Tom Odell.11/10/2016 9:54:42 AM -
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And here is the full comment from a very unhappy reader:"this is the worst Christmas advert ever! Where is SANTA CLAUSE!!?? Don't let any kids see this advert it needs to be banned. who are john lewis to destroy the magic of christmas everywhere for kids all over the world. How dare they! Loved the a level snowglobe so much more! John Lewis should be very ashamed of themselves!"11/10/2016 10:39:27 AM
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People are complaining the John Lewis ad has ruined Christmas
The IndependentThe start of Christmas has also been known as the launch of the John Lewis advert, but some Twitter users are now complaining the retailer accidently ruined the magic of Christmas with its latest campaign.11/10/2016 11:23:59 AM -
Brandwatch has shared a few stats around the John Lewis campaign with The Independent:Mentions of the ‘Buster the boxer’ advert from launch on Twitter and YouTube from 7.39am to 9:50am30,683 mentions in totalMentions of #BusterTheBoxer 25,603Here are some charts:
Mentions per minute peaked at 8:31 at 390 
Despite some people claiming the advert has "ruined the magic Christmas" only 6 per cent said they disliked the ad 11/10/2016 11:31:28 AM -
In a cheeky response to this year's much-anticipated Buster The Boxer, discount site MyVoucherCodes has teamed up with students from the London School of Communication Arts, to create "discount" alternative of the latest ad - in six hours for just £600 pounds.The advert will be available later on Youtube, keep an eye on their channel if you want to compare11/10/2016 11:42:04 AM
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Here is a little round-up of the funniest reactions we spotted this morning
The 5 funniest reactions to the John Lewis Christmas ad
The IndependentThe John Lewis Christmas advert has dropped. It's business as usual for the brand, which has to live up to the high expectations of the nation every year. The new two-minute clip Buster The Boxer, estimated to have cost about £7m, tells the story of a little girl called Bridget and five-year-old Biff as Buster her dog.11/10/2016 12:19:16 PM -
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Blythe Pepino, lead singer from the Vaults, explain why she like the song choice.She said: "We were approached about doing a version of ‘One Day I'll Fly Away’ for the iconic John Lewis Christmas ad and loved the song choice. It’s such a powerful and beautiful song, made famous by the amazing Randy Crawford. Recording it at the Abbey Road studios with the talented, producer Chris Hill, and a 70 piece choir and 66 piece orchestra, was a truly incredible experience."More about The Vaults, here11/10/2016 12:52:02 PM
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Jon White, managing partner of brand and design consultancy, Elmwood told the Independent that John Lewis have certainly hits the right notes in terms of unbridled joy at a time when we are burdened with worry and anxiety about the difficulties of the times we are living through. However, he point out the latest campaign lacks the "wonder and magic" of previous editionsHe said: "It’s dose of reality and humour feels appropriate for this context, no frills, no bows, just a good time story""There are numerous mentions of it not making people cry. Obviously in the wrong context crying is not a great thing but these previous John-Lewis-induced-tears were driven from heart-felt memories and day dreams of personal experiences, relationships and associations of Christmas wonder. This is a miss.""Well done John Lewis for making us smile when we needed it but let’s get back some of that old fashioned warmth and nostalgia next time round."11/10/2016 1:38:21 PM
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How does John Lewis emotionally engages with its fans?We spoke with marketing experts and consumer neuroscience specialists to find out more about the retailer's secret formula
4 emotionally manipulative techniques used in the latest John Lewis Christmas ad
John Lewis has changed its carefully constructed formula for their Christmas advert in 2016, Buster the Boxer.11/10/2016 3:26:57 PM -
Here is the latest data we have on John Lewis' latest campaign from Brandwatch (from launch at 7.39 am to 1 pmMentions of #BusterTheBoxer 48,234John Lewis Twitter handle had 28,467 RTs
Mentions per minute peaked at 8:31 at 390 mentions per minute How did it make people feel ?
11/10/2016 3:33:54 PM -
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That's all for today - and what a day it has been. Thanks for following our live blog.Here is little round up of the funniest reactions we spotted today
The 5 funniest reactions to the John Lewis Christmas ad
The IndependentThe John Lewis Christmas advert has dropped. It's business as usual for the brand, which has to live up to the high expectations of the nation every year. The new two-minute clip Buster The Boxer, estimated to have cost about £7m, tells the story of a little girl called Bridget and five-year-old Biff as Buster her dog.
And the one issue people complained about
People are complaining the John Lewis ad has ruined Christmas
The IndependentThe start of Christmas has also been known as the launch of the John Lewis advert, but some Twitter users are now complaining the retailer accidently ruined the magic of Christmas with its latest campaign.11/10/2016 3:50:57 PM
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| Prices correct as of 15 May 2015 |
