Sam Clegg: 'The heartfelt message behind my John Lewis-style Christmas campaign - we never outgrow the need to be loved'
Yorkshire singer and videographer Sam Clegg released his latest Christmas campaign single and film, just days before John Lewis. He speaks to Laura Reid about the tradition.
It was the tear-jerking and heart-warming nature of a John Lewis Christmas advert that first inspired Yorkshire singer and filmmaker Sam Clegg to create a festive song and video of his own.
That release – Don’t Let Me Go – was launched six years ago now and just as a Christmas campaign has become a much-anticipated annual tradition for many retailers, it’s a highlight of the year for Keighley-based Sam too.
Last week, two days before John Lewis unveiled its latest Christmas ad, the 28-year-old released his 2026 offering The Present – a charity single in support of Re-engage and Friends of the Elderly, with an accompanying festive video channelling a moving message – that we never outgrow the need to be loved.
"People may initially think it’s about a Christmas present but actually the song is about the present moment, and it’s about reflecting on love, loss and loneliness that can be experienced at Christmastime,” says Sam. “But I wanted the song to be a vehicle that people can find comfort in all year round.
"The video is there to show Christmas throughout the years and how it changes - an element that has featured in several of my past Christmas adverts because Christmas is ever-evolving for people.
“With The Present I’m trying to raise awareness of something so many adults go through - loneliness at Christmastime.
"The video shows how somebody can be surrounded by love one Christmas and then years later, how that sadly might not be the case.”
It’s a Christmas advert-style short film, made for under £100 and featuring scenes shot in Haworth and Oxenhope. Sam follows an older woman facing Christmas alone and a childhood teddy bear carrying a message from her parents.
The story, about bereavement, loneliness and the love that people carry with them, has already struck a chord, with the song making it into the top 10 of the UK iTunes Charts and the video having been watched more than 175,000 times on YouTube in the first three days of its release.
Several viewers talk about having been moved to tears, with the record pulling especially on the heartstrings of those who are facing Christmas without their parents or other close loved ones.
“Each year I’m blown away by people’s support, but this year in particular with the chart placement getting so high so early on, it’s been crazy,” says Sam. “I’m really shocked and surprised again how generous people are and how much they want to get behind this campaign and this song.”
Proceeds from sales of the single on iTunes and Amazon will support Re-engage and Friends of the Elderly in their work to help older people.
Re-engage provides life-enhancing social connections for those aged 75 and over at a time in their lives when their social circles are diminishing, helping to tackle loneliness and social isolation through a series of volunteer-led activities and a befriending service.
Friends of the Elderly, meanwhile, supports older people to live well in later life, through care homes, day care services and a grant giving programme for those on low incomes.
Sam, who works in marketing, has chosen to explore loneliness in nearly all of the Christmas campaigns he has released so far. “It’s an issue not really talked about enough,” he says.
“I was facing loneliness during lockdown and I’ve experienced it at several other points in my life. It’s a topic close to my heart so I wanted to raise awareness and money for the charities I’m supporting.”
“Music is a great passion and hobby of mine,” he continues. “Although it’s not a full time thing for me, it allows me to be creative but also to try to make a difference. It truly means so much to me.
“It’s really heart-warming to see how many people are getting behind the campaign. Not only are people enjoying the song and the video and the story, there’s such a good cause behind it all.”
Sam began writing and recording music at just twelve years old, turning his attic bedroom into a makeshift recording studio and teaching himself to make and edit videos.
“I have no classical training in music at all,” he says. “I come from a working class family and we didn’t have money for music lessons or anything like that so I just learnt to play myself from tutorials.”
In 2020, aged 21, he created his first Christmas campaign song and video Don’t Let Me Go, inspired by the emotional and cinematic storytelling of John Lewis Christmas adverts.
Its release during the Covid pandemic, when many were experiencing social isolation, made its poignant message even more powerful and in the years since, Sam’s heartfelt tunes have raised thousands of pounds for charity, highlighting themes of loneliness, love, and human connection.
As well as a day job in marketing, Sam also works on a freelance basis, performing, video producing, and creating original compositions that span from timeless Christmas ballads to contemporary pop anthems.
“You never know what the future holds or when Christmas adverts or songs might go out of fashion, because AI is taking hold so fast in so many different industries,” he reflects. "So I think it’s wise to have as many eggs in as many different baskets as possible.
"It would be lovely one day if the music did take off but for now I’m really happy with the songs doing what they are and raising money for charity.”
- The Present, by Sam Clegg, was released on November 1. To watch the film and purchase the single, visit samclegg.com/thepresent