Blink-182 cover soundtracks new John Lewis Christmas advert
John Lewis has shared its annual Christmas advert for 2022, featuring a cover of Blink-182‘s ‘All The Small Things’ – you can watch it below.
The UK department store posted the one-minute-30-second clip – titled ‘The Beginner’ – on social media this morning (November 10). At the start, we see a middle-aged man attempting to learn how to skateboard during the holidays.
He perseveres with his new hobby, injuring himself numerous times along the way. Later, the character watches a YouTube tutorial at work.
We then see the man and his wife welcome a foster child, Ellie, into their home as they prepare dinner. The young girl is holding a skateboard of her own. “I skate a bit too,” the man says, showing off his broken arm.
In the closing moments, the following message is displayed onscreen: “Over 108,000 children in the UK are in the care system.
“We’re making a long-term commitment to support the futures of young people from care.”
A delicate cover of Blink-182’s classic single ‘All The Small Things’ by US singer Mike Geier soundtracks the commercial. Tune in here:
It’s the things we do that mean the most.
#TheBeginner pic.twitter.com/pdtwAcaBDu
— John Lewis & Partners (@JohnLewisRetail) November 10, 2022
As The Guardian reports, this year’s advert was created in partnership with Action For Children and Who Cares? Scotland in a bid to raise awareness of people living in and leaving care over Christmas.
A quarter of the value of sales of a special toy bear and other items – including a skateboard that appears in the clip – will go to the aforementioned charities. Additionally, John Lewis’ new “giving trees” will allow shoppers to donate in-store.
The annual John Lewis Christmas ad has become a staple of the festive period in recent years. Back in 2018, Elton John revealed he was paid £5million to star in the advert, while viewers in 2017, unimpressed with Elbow’s cover of The Beatles’ ‘Golden Slumbers’, complained that they weren’t brought to tears by the commercial, as had become customary with past editions.
Last year’s advert was soundtracked by a cover of Philip Oakey and Giorgio Moroder‘s 1984 hit ‘Together In Electric Dreams’ by Lola Young. In 2021, John Lewis used Celeste‘s single ‘A Little Love’ for its ‘Give A Little Love’ clip.
Other artists to have contributed music to the yearly campaign include Lily Allen, Aurora, Gabrielle Aplin and Tom Odell. It has featured covers of acts such as John Lennon, Oasis, The Smiths and Keane.
Blink-182, meanwhile, have reunited with Tom DeLonge to record a new album and embark on a huge world tour. The trio released an anthemic comeback single, ‘Edging’, last month.
The post Blink-182 cover soundtracks new John Lewis Christmas advert appeared first on NME.
Tom Skinner
NME
