John Lewis unveils new campaign to mark 100 years of ‘Never Knowingly Undersold’
John Lewis has today launched a new TV ad and multi-media campaign to mark 100 years since it first introduced its ‘Never Knowingly Undersold’ pledge in 1925.
Under the title of ‘Tableau’, the Saatchi & Saatchi produced commercial, directed by the acclaimed Kim Gehrig, is a single-shot style film set to a new version of ‘The Beat Goes On’ covered by musician Mike Skinner.
It aims to show how John Lewis is as relevant to modern Britain today as it always has been. From car boot picnic to festival and fete, ‘Tableau’ is described as "a celebration of the wonderfully vibrant tapestry that makes up modern British life".
The campaign also reaffirms the trust commitment that John Lewis has actively invested in, having matched over 300,000 prices on branded products in the past year alone, since it reintroduced the ‘Never Knowingly Undersold’ promise after a two-year hiatus in September 2024.
It was reintroduced by Peter Ruis, Managing Director of John Lewis, after it had become "not fit for purpose" in its original format.
Ruis rejoined the retailer in January 2024, having previously held several senior roles between 2005 - 2013. He immediately set the wheels in motion to bring back the iconic pledge by investing "multi-millions" in a new AI technology called new Quicklizard, which brought the possibility back in to play in a retail landscape that had changed dramatically with online competition.
The new campaign coincides with yesterday’s news that John Lewis will be the only nationwide partner for the major relaunch of Topshop and Topman from 3 February 2026. Topshop is set to roll-out in 32 John Lewis stores, while Topman will be carried in six.
