Former students behind John Lewis Christmas ad

The creative force behind this year’s John Lewis Christmas advert, Where Love Lives, are University of Lincoln BA (Hons) Creative Advertising alumni Ollie Agius and Pete Ioulianou.

Now Associate Creative Directors at Saatchi & Saatchi, the duo have spent the past eight months crafting what many are calling the most emotionally resonant John Lewis campaign in years. 

Their film departs from festive fantasy to explore a father-son bond rekindled through the gift of a vinyl record, Alison Limerick’s ‘90s anthem “Where Love Lives”, reimagined by singer-songwriter and rapper, Labrinth. It’s a powerful, music-led story about memory, emotion, and connection across generations.

Already hailed as ‘tender and life-affirming’ by Creative Review, the ad is winning hearts for its emotional depth and originality, a bold shift from the brand’s usual Christmas playbook. Viewers and critics alike have praised its nostalgic cues, cinematic storytelling, and focus on a rarely explored relationship at the heart of the festive season.

Speaking about the campaign, Agius and Ioulianou described it as ‘a career bucket-list moment, an absolute privilege’.

Their journey from student creatives in Lincoln to leading a major national campaign embodies the ethos of the University’s Creative Advertising programme, fostering bold ideas, emotionally intelligent storytelling, and industry-ready talent, according to Programme Leader and Senior Lecturer in Creative Advertising Dave Pettitt,

“Seeing Ollie and Pete’s names attached to a campaign of this cultural impact is incredibly rewarding. It’s a reminder of the role creative education plays in shaping meaningful work at the highest levels."