John Lewis
Research
John Lewis and Partners' mission statement:
'John Lewis & Partners is more than a name. It means we're all owner's, committed to giving you, our customers, the highest quality products and service.
Because for us, it's personal.
John Lewis & Partners Brand Identity.
Pentagram
'The identities have been created to support the strategic ambitions of the two retail brands, and elevate the overall partnership's defining characteristic: its employee ownership model.'
'The new brand guidelines' logotype is inspired by a Peter HAtch pattern created for John Lewis Partnership on the 1960s.
The brand identities are informed by a shared design system; developed by Pentagram to bring coherence, clarity, and flexibility to the three organizations, and their full suite of products and services
Different versions of the logo can be used depending on the requirements of the application; responding to a wide range of products, communications, and customer experiences while maintaining recognition and building a cohesive customer experience.
A typographically confident style is used in tandem with the patterns to create impactful campaigns
Distinctive colour palettes provide a striking singularity through the use of neutral colours, allowing product and content to take centre stage.
The colour scheme is flexible and infinitely adaptable, particularly for Waitrose, which operated in the louder world of supermarket retail.
The result is a flexible and distinctive visual language that communicates the full spectrum of activity associated with each of the Partnership's retail businesses: both separately, and in the moments where they come together.
What gifts/experiences do John Lewis & Partnership provide?
In-store experience gift cards (the style experience / the beauty experience)
Luxury Gifts (most popular)
Gift collections
Games & Puzzles
Novelty
Silver Gifts
Stationary
Gift Experiences
History of Gift Giving
Humans are social creatures who enjoy others company and expressing our feelings through the giving of gifts.
Researchers believe that cavemen gave presents like unusuallyly shaped rocks or animal teeth to strengthen social connection and show their appreciation to others. As social structures developed, the gifts became more elaborate and decorative.
Pre-Colonial times:
For thousands of years, Native American tribes have engaged in the tradition of potlatch. Predominantly a tradition of Pacific Northwest tribes, the potlatch was a complex ceremony where property and gifts were given to confirm or reconfirm the status and wealth of the gift giver. So, the more elaborate the presents and ceremony, the more powerful the gift giver. A powerful tribe leader would be expected to shower his tribe, according to their rank, with elaborate gifts. Similarly, Iñupiat tradition in Alaska dictated that upon returning from a successful hunt, whaling crews gave the largest portion of their catch to other tribe members. The more tribe members received, the more respected the whaling crew.
Early records of Egyptian history show that the deceased was buried with goods or gifts required for the afterlife. It was the oldest son’s duty to oversee his parents’ burial and ensure they had everything they needed. At the bare minimum, these gifts would include everyday objects like bowls, combs and food, while wealthier Egyptians would be buried with idols, amulets, jewellery, furniture and other valuables. Each gift had a different purpose, but most served to protect and help the deceased’s transition to the afterlife.
Gift giving also played an important role in Ancient Greek society. Elaborate, decorative gifts were given to express emotion, build relationships, and in the spirit of mutual aid or hospitality – a central concept of Ancient Greek culture. Families were expected to welcome travellers, who could be Gods in disguise, into their homes. A proper welcome included presenting travellers with a meal and a place to rest. Gifts were also given as a sign of respect and devotion. For example, it was customary to present Gods with gifts in exchange for safe passage or protection on the battlefield.
During the Middle Ages, gift exchanges played a significant role in social interactions. Gifting offered a meaningful way for people to foster social bonds, or show allegiances to powerful people and institutions, like the king or church. Dowries are a prominent example of medieval gift giving that was designed to promote relationships. Involving the bride’s father presenting lavish gifts to the groom in return for marrying and taking care of his daughter, these engagement gifts included land, money, livestock or precious metals.
Why do we give gifts?
Cultural requirements - Christmas
build and reinforce relationships - some sociologists think we only give gifts to people we want relationships with.
Show love and devotion - theory of symbolic interactionism
Symbolic communication - we attach symbolic meanings to gifts.
To receive something in return - Since gifts represent our desire to build or cement a relationship, they also require some form of reciprocation. Contemporary sociologist Dimitri Mortelmans argues that gift-giving creates a 'debt balance' so to prevent ill feelings gifts must be repaid creating a cycle of gift giving. When reciprocating a gift, it should be of roughly equal value as giving too little signifies that you don’t value the relationship while giving too much means that you overvalue it and causes feelings of embarrassment
To help others - some gifts are given with no expected return. Love and appreciation are two of the biggest motivators for altruistic gift giving. One theory claims that dopamine-using pleasure circuitry in the brain is activated by charitable giving.
Find a mate - Research conducted by biologists suggests that as serial monogamists, humans use gift giving to attract and retain mates.
Harvard Business Review: 'Gifts don't express appreciation, people do.'
