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![\"John](\"https:\/\/www.retailgazette.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/shutterstock_1409457584-1-1.jpg\" "\\"John")
<\/div>\nSince John Lewis revealed it was ditching its almost 100-year-old brand promise \u2018Never Knowingly Undersold\u2019 earlier this year, the retail world has wondered what would replace its famous slogan.<\/p>\n
Would it reinvigorate the department store and reaffirm its place in modern retail? Would it shout about its trusted credentials? Would it make people reappraise John Lewis as a destination for value?<\/p>\n
This week all was revealed when it unveiled it\u2019s \u2018for all life\u2019s moments\u2019 tag, which was met with a resounding \u2018meh\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m confused by it,\u201d admits Savvy Marketing founder and CEO Catherine Shuttleworth. \u201cNever Knowingly Undersold was a price promise \u2013 this is just a marketing line.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2019For all life\u2019s moments\u2019 feel like it should be part of John Lewis\u2019 strategy, an internal mantra even, but it means nothing to the customer.\u201d<\/p>\n
The problem with the new strapline is that it doesn\u2019t get to the crux of what makes John Lewis special. Underpinned by its partnership ownership model, the brand represents trust, quality and excellent service for many \u2013 something that it\u2019s new slogan does not touch on.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt holds a unique position in British society as a trusted brand. That is not translated into its brand promise. \u2018For all life\u2019s moments\u2019 could apply to any brand\u201d says Shuttleworth.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.retailgazette.co.uk-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/John-Lewis.jpg\")
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Lee Rolston, chief growth officer at marketing agency JKR, agrees. He points out that \u2018Never Knowingly Undersold\u2019 neatly got across the fact that you could trust John Lewis to do the right thing by the customer.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was emotion behind the Never Knowingly Undersold message. It perfectly got across the fact that you can rest assured that it would not undersell in terms of price or the quality of product,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
Like Shuttleworth, Rolston believes that \u2018for all life\u2019s moments\u2019 could be attached to any brand. \u201cFor a lot of people, Amazon will be there for all of life\u2019s moments,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
The elephant in the room<\/h3>\n
Launching amid the biggest cost-of-living crisis in decades, where many consumers \u2013 including John Lewis\u2019 middle class customer base \u2013 are fearful of not being able to pay their gas and electricity bills this winter, one would expect the department store to get across its value credentials in its new slogan.<\/p>\n
However, that isn\u2019t the case.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe biggest moment for most people right now is paying their electricity bill,\u201d says Shuttleworth. \u201cIt feels like John Lewis have devised this brand promise in a bubble\u2026there\u2019s no reference to the biggest thing impacting people\u2019s lives and shopping habits right now.\u201d<\/p>\n
This is a shame as John Lewis has made strides to up its value offer of late.<\/p>\n
The retailer revealed earlier this year that it would plough \u00a3500 million into pricing and promotions and has been rolling out Anyday, the affordable brand it smartly launched in April 2021 before the cost-of-living crisis had reared its ugly head.<\/p>\n However, the new customer-facing slogan does not touch on any of this. Whilst Never Knowingly Undersold offered price reassurance, \u2018for all life\u2019s moments\u2019 does not, at a time when customers need it most.<\/p>\n \u201cIronically, there has never been a better time for \u2018Never Knowingly Undersold\u2019,\u201d says Shuttleworth. \u201cWhen people aren\u2019t sure about how they are going to pay their energy bills this Christmas, they want that reassurance that they are getting the best price when they\u2019re shopping.\u201d<\/p>\n Sign up\u00a0here to get the latest department store news, analysis and comment straight into your inbox each morning\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Shuttleworth does concede that John Lewis is right in its belief that the post-pandemic consumer is making the most out of every moment.<\/p>\n There are opportunities to be had in John Lewis\u2019 approach of becoming \u201cthe place that people know they can come to bring a little joy to all of life\u2019s moments\u201d, as managing director Pippa Wicks puts it, rather than just for big occasions such as Christmas or planning a nursery, which the department store is already synonymous with.<\/p>\n It\u2019s clear John Lewis has big plans for this concept. It will introduce new products and services to \u201censure that we inspire people beyond the big occasions\u201d and will test a new store format in the coming months that will encourage customers to shop by real-life moments across categories rather than traditional product departments.<\/p>\n Shuttleworth believes this is a smart move. For example, by placing beds, duvet covers, pyjamas, candles and speakers next to each other to encourage a fantastic night\u2019s sleep, the customer may be persuaded to make purchases across multiple categories.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are definitely opportunities for cross-merchandising but as ever execution is everything,\u201d says Shuttleworth.<\/p>\n When it comes to execution, the big focus for John Lewis right now is getting its \u2018for all life\u2019s moments\u2019 message out to customers this week.<\/p>\n The retailer has pushed the button on a \u201cmajor, new marketing campaign\u201d across its website, app and store with a new TV ad set to be broadcast this Thursday.<\/p>\n Rolston says there is an opportunity to make what he describes as a \u201cfunctional\u201d new brand slogan more \u201cdistinctively John Lewis\u201d through emotive storytelling in ad campaigns.<\/p>\n If there is one thing John Lewis\u2019 excels at it\u2019s emotive storytelling. Perhaps this is where it can really put some meat on the bones of its rebrand and get across its values to customers. However, its marketing team may have its job cut out this time.<\/p>\n![\"John](\"https:\/\/www.retailgazette.co.uk-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/John-Lewis-_-Partners-Kids_-Plain-Leggings_-Mid-Blue.jpg\")
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Emotive storytelling<\/h3>\n