St. Luke's, Director Molly Burdett Land At Heathrow With "The Gift"

This Heathrow Airport Xmas spot is a heart-warming story about that special feeling of being with your loved ones over the festive holidays. It’s the first work with St. Luke’s as lead strategic creative agency, since it won the pitch for the brand in August.

The feel-good :60 called “The Gift” shows a couple in the departure lounge of Terminal 2, drinking champagne to toast their imminent festive getaway--just the two of them. However, the mum seems sad that the pair will be spending Christmas without their kids for the first time--especially when she spies a family with children laughing excitedly in the airport terminal ahead of their flight.

She soon cheers up as they peruse the airport shops, trying on headphones in InMotion Entertainment and buying some of her favorite Jo Malone perfume in the World Duty Free store. The dad then suggests they grab a pre-flight bite to eat at Shan Shui, one of the terminal’s many restaurants. As they browse the menu, he reveals he’s got her an early Christmas present and tells his wife to close her eyes. 

In moving scenes, their two grown-up children then appear at the table--and it’s revealed they’ll be joining their parents on their Christmas holiday break after all as their mum cries tears of joy hugging them. The closing line: “This Christmas, depart as you mean to go on” encompasses the special holiday feeling that starts at Heathrow Airport even before reaching your destination.

“The Gift” was directed by Molly Burdett of Spindle Films. Burdett was nominated for Best New Director at Kinsale 2021, and won a Glass Lion Award at Cannes this year.  She has also earned accolades for her work for the charity Women’s Aid, and is also known for her video work with Mercury Prize and Brit Award-winning singer Arlo Parks. Burdett’s film Have A Word for the Mayor of London this year went viral, receiving over 307 million views.