Could THIS be the next John Lewis Christmas advert? AI predicts what this year’s ad will look like – and it’s a real tear-jerker

• Experts tasked ChatGPT with predicting the plot for the 2023 John Lewis advert
• Its ad features a pocket watch – but does it live up to John Lewis’ reputation? 

Every winter, households across Britain get misty-eyed at the latest Christmas advert from John Lewis.

From 2021’s ‘Unexpected Guest’ featuring an alien crash-landing on Earth, to 2016’s ‘Buster the Boxer’ starring a dog leaping on a trampoline, these adverts pull on our heartstrings like no other. 

While there’s still four months to go until Christmas rolls around, some people are already so excited for the advert that they’re speculating what it could be about. 

Leeds-based marketing agency, Boutique, tasked AI chatbot ChatGPT with predicting the plot for the 2023 John Lewis advert. 

Its script features a pocket watch left in a cozy coffee shop in a picturesque snowy village – but does it live up to John Lewis’ reputation?

The ad opens on a snowy village with a cozy coffee shop at the heart. A barista named Emily  works behind the counter, serving drinks and interacting with the customers. As Emily notices an old pocket watch left on a table, she picks it up and examines it. The watch is ‘worn but still ticking’, ChatGPT explains

As Emily investigates the pocket watch, the ad delves into a heartwarming series of flashbacks, involving different people from various time periods throughout history receiving the pocket watch as a gift. Each flashback showcases the watch’s journey through time, connecting generations of people who have cherished and passed down the watch

READ MORE: Why we love John Lewis at Christmas: The psychology behind festive adverts

The team at Boutique asked ChatGPT to ‘predict the next John Lewis Christmas advert’. 

It came up with a script for an advert titled ‘A Timeless Gift – “Celebrating the magic of giving”.’

The ad opens with a picturesque snowy village, illuminated by the warm glow of streetlights. A cozy coffee shop sits at the heart of the village, its windows filled with people laughing and enjoying warm beverages.

The narrator says: ‘In a village where time stood still, the magic of Christmas was about to unfold.’ 

In the next scene, a young barista named Emily can be seen as she works behind the counter, serving drinks and interacting with the customers. She has a ‘warm smile and a welcoming demeanour’, according to ChatGPT. 

As Emily notices an old pocket watch left on a table, she picks it up and examines it. 

The watch is ‘worn but still ticking’, ChatGPT explains. 

As Emily investigates the pocket watch, the ad delves into a heartwarming series of flashbacks, involving different people from various time periods throughout history receiving the pocket watch as a gift.

Each flashback showcases the watch’s journey through time, connecting generations of people who have cherished and passed down the watch.

Back in the present day, Emily decides to repair and restore the pocket watch. And as she researches its history, she learns about its significance to the village. With the watch restored to its former glory, Emily places it back on the table where she found it, accompanied by a small note that reads: ‘For the next chapter’

AI’s predictions come as John Lewis dumped the agency behind its tear-jerking Christmas ads – in favour of the marketing geniuses who propelled Margaret Thatcher into Downing Street

Back in the present day, Emily decides to repair and restore the pocket watch. 

And as she researches its history, she learns about its significance to the village.

With the watch restored to its former glory, Emily places it back on the table where she found it, accompanied by a small note that reads: ‘For the next chapter.’

As Christmas Eve approaches, the village is adorned with lights and decorations. People gather in the coffee shop, and Emily’s act of kindness inspires them to engage in their own acts of giving.

On Christmas morning, the coffee shop is bustling with activity. Emily smiles as she ‘witnesses the joy and connection that has been rekindled among the villagers’.

Meanwhile, the narrator says: ‘For in the giving, we find the true essence of Christmas.’

Finally, the advert ends with a shot of the pocket watch on the table, its hands ticking forward as the camera pans out, revealing the entire village coming together in celebration.

Text on the screen reads: ‘A Timeless Gift: Celebrating the Magic of Giving,’ before the John Lewis logo appears and the screen fades to black.

AI’s predictions come as John Lewis dumped the agency behind its tear-jerking Christmas ads – in favour of the marketing geniuses who propelled Margaret Thatcher into Downing Street.

Saatchi & Saatchi will take the lead on this year’s Christmas TV campaign and next year’s launch of a joint John Lewis and Waitrose loyalty card. 

Simon Bollon, managing director at Boutique, said: ‘The John Lewis Christmas ad is a staple of the marketing world and with Megaforce and Saatchi & Saatchi partnering for this year’s ad, we should expect something bigger and better than we’ve seen before. Sorry AI, but we think you’re losing this one…’

Could THIS be the new Miss United Kingdom? Stunning candidates for the next pageant queen are revealed – but there’s a HUGE catch 

Researchers have used artificial intelligence to create ‘ideal’ pageant queen candidates as part of a study to explore the beauty standards of Miss United Kingdom and other global contests.

The experts at Great Green Wall used online image generator Midjourney to do this, which gave a surprising variety of results for each country.

While Miss United Kingdom was thought to have been influenced by Princess Diana, other nations were inspired by athletes, Bollywood and even Marilyn Monroe.

Yet these images often included ‘highly unobtainable body proportions’, researchers said, with ‘supermodel-like facial structures that can only be achieved through cosmetic surgery or genetics’.

Founder of Great Green Wall, Sam Phoenix, wrote: ‘Beauty standards can vary drastically from country to country, so it was fascinating to see how well the AI was able to recreate those unique beauty standards within a ‘pageant’ setting. 

‘While some countries bore similarities, particularly those within close proximity, the A.I. was able to create a standalone representation of its interpretation of each country’s beauty standards.’ 

Miss United Kingdom: Researchers believe the bot took inspiration from Princess Diana (not using this picture)

Source: Read Full Article