Lily Allen covers Keane in Xmas John Lewis ad - watch it here
After weeks of rumours, the John Lewis 2013 Christmas ad is today revealed. Its musical centrepiece is Lily Allen covering Keane's Somewhere Only We Know.
The animated ad is based on a short story about the spirit of Christmas dubbed 'The Bear And The Hare', and has been put together by agency Adam&Eve/DDB. You can watch it below.
Somewhere Only We Know is published by Universal Music Publishing, while Lily Allen's label is the now-Warner-owned Parlophone. Her management is handled by Rocket Management. All sides are understood to have been integral in closing the deal with John Lewis. Annie Lennox is also believed to have been in the running to record the ad's soundtrack.
The new John Lewis campaign is reported to have a whopping £7m marketing fund behind it. Such heavy Q4 TV exposure would be perfect timing for the BRIT Award-winning Allen, whose third studio album is due to be released in the new year.
The ad will be shown during the break of this Saturday's X Factor on ITV1.
The magic formula of a young act covering a classic song has been evident in the last four above-the-line John Lewis TV ad campaigns - all of which are known in trade sync circles for setting in motion the "John Lewis effect" of accelerated sales and exposure.
Recent examples have included, Ellie Goulding covering Elton John classic Your Song, taking her new version of the song to the top of the iTunes chart, and Gabrielle Aplin's cover of Frankie Goes To Hollywood's Power Of Love - which went on to become an Official UK No.1 single.
I'm getting tired of waiting for the lead single.
She sings this well, I wish she would push her voice further like she does live. She holds herself back in the studio.
Her last album is still my favorite album ever, so I best not let her rush perfection with the next one.
This is good than nothing. I mean, we definitely all missed Lily and this is just perfect. 
