It’s here. Check out the John Lewis Christmas advert 2014

Plus, 12 things you need to know about Monty the Penguin

Rarely have advertising campaigns pulled off the remarkable feat of being talked-about-non-stop before they’ve even hit our TV screens.

It’s testament to the creativity and intelligence of adam&eveDDB, the London advertising agency that has created the John Lewis Christmas ads since 2007, that the John Lewis Christmas campaign is probably the most keenly anticipated TV advert each year, every year.

Incidentally, adam&eveDDB’s founder and CEO James Murphy is on the Entrepreneurs Panel at our Dynamic Enterprise Summit on Tuesday 25 November.

If you want to hear more about the astonishing achievements of the man running the Cannes Lion Agency of the Year, creator of the John Lewis Christmas campaign, you can still apply for a complimentary place if your business turns over £1m+.

So – let’s not keep you waiting any longer. We know what you want. Here’s Monty the Penguin (and you can find out more about the making of the ad below).

What you think of the ad? Let me know @sophiehobson

12 things you need to know about John Lewis’s Monty the Penguin Christmas ad

1. John Lewis is spending £7m on the campaign in total

2. The advert itself cost £1m to make

3. The full campaign encompasses a mobile app, a range of Monty the Penguin merchandise and events

4. The soundtrack is Tom Odell singing John Lennon’s Real Love

5. Monty himself was created by post production company MPC, which also did the CGI for Life of Pi, Godzilla and Malificent

6. Monty is modelled on Adélie penguins

7. The boy actor is seven-year-old Rhys from Hertfordshire, who got his first TV role ages five

8. His character in the ad is called Sam

9. The advert will run first during Channel 4’s Gogglebox tonight

10. Ad agency adam&eveDDB has been making the John Lewis Christmas ads since 2003

11. Last year’s Bear and the Hare advert generated 10 million YouTube view

12. This is what Craig Inglis, marketing director at John Lewis, said about the ad: “We hope this uplifting tale of Sam’s love for his friend Monty will remind people of the magic of Christmas through a child’s eyes and inspire them to think how they can make the festive season extra special for their friends and loved ones.”