John Lewis Celebrates 100 Years of Culture with Riotous Tableau

Marking 100 years since John Lewis’s famous ‘Never Knowingly Undersold’ promise was introduced, Saatchi & Saatchi has unveiled a new campaign, Tableau, celebrating the integral role the brand plays in modern British life.

The campaign leads with a hero 100-second film which, shot at 100 frames per second, feels like a moving piece of art, and captures the 100 years of culture that John Lewis has shaped in one riotous and non-chronological sequence. Directed by Kim Gehrig and set to an original cover of The Beat Goes On by Mike Skinner, the film is an ode to Britain, and captures a rich tapestry of stages, settings and scenes, all built from John Lewis products from both the archive, continuity and new season. The piece ends with a striking composition inspired by the work of Pieter Bruegel, capturing the set in its entirety, just as Bruegel captured worlds in a single canvas.

The timeless celebration sets dancers from the roaring twenties alongside modern day new parents and bakers and style mavens in a raucous mash up of British life. Showing that just like its brand promise, John Lewis is as relevant to modern Britain’s today and future as it has always been.

The spot draws from the extensive John Lewis archives, to celebrate the products, people and cultural moments John Lewis has shaped across the century. Featuring 100 actors and 100 ionic products, the film draws directly from the magazine’s historic issues to spotlight 100 unique beauty and style moments, including the rise of men’s grooming in its 1989 ‘New Man’ issue, and the early-2000s revival of the nostalgic lava lamp, as captured in a 2001 issue. Every current product featured such as the new Dyson Air Wrap and new exclusive to John Lewis Dyson headphones can be shopped in real time online.

The work is also woven with Easter Eggs from past creative campaigns, with adverts from years gone by playing on a stack of television sets taken from different decades, including homage to the classic John Lewis partner service in the form of a nursery advisor in the 1950s. Alongside honouring the past, the contemporary-style film - which steps outside of the narrative by ending with a panned-out shot of the set in full - also looks to the future, and showcases the brand’s enduring role in shaping the way Britain celebrates everyday life.

The spot is set to an original sync of The Beat Goes On (Sonny & Cher, 1967) by Mike Skinner, bringing a modern social commentary to familiar lyrics that explore the passing of time, while also pointing to the future.

The film will also run as 60-second, 30-second and 10-second edits, with the 60-second ad running in key programming across ITV, Channel 4 and Sky.

A custom social media campaign - unfolding across TikTok and Instagram - spotlights the central themes of Style, Beauty, Tech, and Home. Tied together by John Lewis’ enduring message of 'now then and always,' the custom social highlights the evolution of products with a timeless appeal and celebrates small but defining moments of everyday British life - from the iconic make-up of the 1990s to the must-have mug for your 2025 tea ritual.

​Rosie Hanley, brand director, John Lewis Partnership, said, “It’s been 100 years since our brand promise, Never Knowingly Undersold on quality service and price, was introduced- a distinctive promise to our customers that is woven into our heritage. This campaign is a celebration of that enduring commitment. The incredible artistry and bold production of the film, featuring 100 products and a brilliant modern soundtrack from Mike Skinner, beautifully captures John Lewis’s role in the fabric of British life from car boot picnics to festivals and fetes. This is a fully integrated campaign which was made possible by working with our fearless partners to honour our past while setting the stage for the future of John Lewis”

​Franki Goodwin, chief creative officer, Saatchi & Saatchi, said, “John Lewis and the Never Knowingly Undersold promise has been a beacon of aspirational British life since 1925. As a part of the fabric of our culture we wanted to weave something wild and wonderful together that celebrated every first pram, wedding list, party dress, tea cup, side table, toy and toaster that’s made the last 100 years so very ‘us’. A hugely ambitious integrated production and true collaboration with our brave and brilliant client partners.”