John Lewis has launched its 20th Christmas advert, starring Kristin Scott Thomas as Gloria, a grandmother looking for gift inspiration. The campaign’s message is “don’t give up on giving”, with a talking toy dog named Pickles urging her to find something more thoughtful than cash for her grandchildren.

Voiced by comedian Paul Whitehouse, Pickles takes Gloria on a last-minute shopping trip. After dismissing options elsewhere, she travels by tuk-tuk to John Lewis and buys disco balls and fairy lights to create a “gran cave” for Freddie and Maggie.

The three-minute advert, created by Saatchi & Saatchi, debuted on social media on Tuesday morning. A one-minute edit was scheduled to air that evening during ITV’s Coronation Street and Channel 4’s The Great British Bake Off. The story returns to the retailer’s tradition of featuring a memorable character, but focuses on the bond between a grandmother and a toy dog rather than centring on children.

John Lewis marketing director Rosie Hanley said the company had increased its investment in the advert, citing higher production costs and its 20th campaign. She said the retailer hoped for a strong return as it seeks to attract shoppers ahead of the Black Friday discount period. Hanley added that the company wanted this year’s film to feel more joyful, and said spending on Christmas-related products at John Lewis was already ahead of the same point last year.

The advert’s soundtrack is Sam Fender’s version of the Rolling Stones song “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”, featuring the choir from his former school and Easington Colliery Band. The track is due for release on vinyl later this month, with proceeds going to Action For Children. Pickles is based on Fisher-Price’s Little Snoopy pull-along toy, which is marking its 60th year.

The campaign was inspired by research cited by Hanley, which found that 52% of grandparents give cash because they are unsure what younger family members want. John Lewis will also put up a large Christmas tree outside its Oxford Street store. The retailer said visitor numbers there last week were more than a fifth higher than during the equivalent week last year.

Sources: The Guardian Business.