frontline
Love lives on: A packed dancefloor in the John Lewis ad and (inset, L-R) Alison Limerick holding the Where Love Lives vinyl and Labrinth
JOHN LEWIS/ALISON LIMERICK & LABRINTH Another year, another huge sync for the Yuletide spot that always gets everyone talking...
BY BEN HOMEWOOD
Even at a time of constant change in the industry, the John Lewis Christmas campaign remains a constant, a marker in the Q4 calendar and a guaranteed talking point. This year’s spot features Alison Limerick’s original version of 1990 club classic Where Love Lives and a pared back cover by Labrinth, as a son gifts his father a vinyl copy of the single, taking him back to his youth. “It’s rare for a track that once filled clubs to find new life in living
rooms, and that’s what makes a great sync,” Andrew Tansey, director of sync at Sony Music UK, told Music Week. “Labrinth has taken the joy and spirit of the song and made it beautifully personal. To work with him and Alison has been a real highlight, two artists combining for an iconic advert.” Columbia has released Labrinth’s version, with Limerick’s original out via Sony Music Commercial Group. John Lewis stores are stocking vinyl copies, with proceeds going to the Building Happier Futures charity. “For a festive advert, this is a wonderfully refreshing take, shining a light on Alison’s euphoric club anthem in such a resonant way,” added Philip Connolly, head of marketing at Sony Music Commercial Group. “Its ongoing cultural relevance makes it the perfect choice for an advert which truly captures the nation’s imagination each year.” Lati Kronlund, who wrote the original, described it as a “timeless classic” and said, “It is magical that a track I wrote and produced for Alison reignites memories and transcends generations through the John Lewis Christmas campaign.” Limerick sings in Kronlund’s band, Brooklyn Funk Essentials, who recently released a new single called Never Give Up.
Spot: John Lewis – Where Love Lives Track: Where Love Lives Artists: Alison Limerick, Labrinth Writer: Lati Kronlund Publisher: Jack Russell Publishing Master: Sony Music UK Production Company: Iconoclast Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi Music Supervisor:
Dominic Bastyra (Theodore) Director: Jonathan Alric Air Date: 04/11/25
Where Love Lives has more than 320,000 post-1994 sales across
different versions according to the Official Charts Company, while the song has more than 30m plays on Spotify. Alison Limerick has more than 418,000 monthly listeners on the platform, Labrinth has more than 20m. Both will surely be hoping for a surge of interest following the campaign. “I squealed when I heard that Where Love Lives would be in the
advert,” said Limerick. “Music has always had the power to bring all kinds of people together, but I hope this advert will give those who see it a new, emotional connection with the song, especially with what Labrinth has created. His gentle version is just so beautiful.” For his part, Labrinth is “honoured to be part of an iconic advert that is
embedded in British Christmas culture – this is a big deal for me”. The spot continues to be important for the music business too, as the amount of work that went into the 2025 version goes to show. “It was a true collaboration, bringing together two management teams and two Sony labels,” said music supervisor Dominic Bastyra. “The work covered everything from licensing the original track to re-recording [it], an original score, talent endorsement and even pressing a vinyl.”
“Music has always had the power to bring all kinds of people together, but I hope this advert will give those who see it a new, emotional connection with the song” Alison Limerick
WANT TO GET YOUR SYNC STORY IN MUSIC WEEK? Email Ben Homewood at
ben.homewood@futurenet.com for details.
musicweek.com Music Week | 11
PHOTOS: Sony Music UK
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100
