Marks & Spencer launches cheeky Christmas ad to challenge John Lewis
Marks & Spencer has released a new Christmas advert featuring a topless Santa, aiming to take on John Lewis in the seasonal advertising race.
Marks & Spencer has released a new Christmas advert featuring a topless Santa, aiming to take on John Lewis in the seasonal advertising race.
The Guardian reported that actors James Norton and Lucy Punch appear as a youthful Mr and Mrs Claus, with the spot highlighting shared moments and shopping.
John Lewis has long held the "Christmas advert moment", with syrupy commercials, piano ballads and tear‑jerker storylines that have given the 160‑year‑old department store a cultural head start in the dash for festive profits.
This year, the retailer is trying to close the gap, with the newspaper saying M&S has brought out the "big guns" in the form of the topless Santa played by Norton.
Why it matters
The move signals intensified competition among high‑street brands for holiday consumer attention and sales.
Key details
- Location
- United Kingdom · Europe
- Reported by
- The Guardian
- First reported
- Key names
- John Lewis, Christmas, Santa’, James Norton
- Section
- Business
Sources
This is an independent summary. Read the full, original reporting from the publisher:
Read the full story at The GuardianSpotted an error? Request a correction · How this summary was produced
Related Stories
Christmas 2026 stamps unveiled by Royal Mail
The annual Christmas collection of five stamps feature scenes from the Nativity.
Christmas donations gift demand up, charities say
Charities collecting Christmas presents for struggling families say demand has gone up.
Christmas shoebox appeal launches to help children
A gift-filled shoebox campaign launched for children who would otherwise go without this Christmas.
Christmas rail engineering work to shut Paddington and Birmingham New Street for five days
The Guardian reported that engineering works over the Christmas period will cause ten days of disruption on some of Great Britain’s busiest railway…
'I've taken an extra job to pay for heating oil'
People in Sussex say they are taking on extra work and not heating their homes due to oil prices.
Energy minister urges top suppliers to boost help for households with unpaid bills
The Guardian reported that the energy minister called on the chiefs of Great Britain’s largest energy firms to increase support for households…
Investment rush into making of ultra‑hard jet turbine blades
BBC News reported that investment has surged into the making of jet turbine blades, an extremely difficult component to produce.
'I was asked if I was a crier': Your worst job interviews revealed
Bad job interviews can be horrible to experience in the moment, but there is a lot they can teach us about the world of work.