Nordstrom is handing Christmas entertainment to the children. Its 2026 holiday commercial, “Let’s Dance”, builds a family gathering around a surprise performance to David Bowie’s song. Developed with Invisible Dynamics and directed by Marie Schuller through RSA Films, the campaign launched on November 2. The proposition is refreshingly simple: a gift can be something you do for someone. For a department store, that is also a slightly awkward sales pitch.
Bowie takes over the living room
The setup turns a familiar Christmas ritual into a miniature show. As shots describes the film, a subdued present-opening session gives way to Bowie after the record is changed. Two children in oversized business clothes deliver a rehearsed routine, complete with flips and confetti. Nordstrom identifies the young performers as Hunter Weimann and Kinley Cunningham, with choreography by Nina McNeely. The guests eventually join in.
There is a useful comic contrast in the idea: children dressed for the office behaving like the only people in the room who understand a party. The grown-up clothes give the performance a visual hook before the music does its work. Christmas advertising has plenty of smiling families. Giving two members of this one a specific, slightly odd job is a better starting point than another anonymous group hug.
What works
Making the performance the present is the strongest strategic choice. It gives the children agency and makes togetherness an action rather than a line in the voiceover. The gift is personal because somebody has put effort into it, a thought that can travel beyond this particular living room.
The music choice also has a reason to exist beyond instant recognition. Nordstrom’s official announcement connects the campaign to its Bowie80 partnership with the Bowie estate, including store installations and fashion collaborations due in mid-November. That wider retail context gives the song a more convincing brand connection than a standalone festive needle-drop would have.
Where it falls short
The central idea is easy to borrow. A family gets together, somebody changes the music, everybody loosens up: that framework could accommodate a clothing retailer, a drinks brand or a streaming service. The Bowie partnership helps distinguish the campaign, but the basic story does relatively little to explain why the gathering belongs to Nordstrom.
There is also a tension in celebrating a gift that cannot be bought while inviting people to shop. That need not sink the idea. It does put pressure on the styling, casting and surrounding campaign to make the retailer feel like a natural part of the occasion. Warmth alone is a crowded position in November.
The verdict
“Let’s Dance” has a clear, appealing premise and a more interesting centre than the usual festive product parade. The children’s performance gives the campaign something concrete to build around. Its weaker point is brand ownership: Bowie and the dance are easy to remember, while the reason to remember Nordstrom needs the wider campaign to help. A promising party invitation, with a less distinctive retail argument.
Credits: Client: Nordstrom. Creative partner: Invisible Dynamics. Director: Marie Schuller. Production: RSA Films. Choreography: Nina McNeely. Featured young performers: Hunter Weimann and Kinley Cunningham. Music: “Let’s Dance” by David Bowie. Campaign and credits verified against Nordstrom’s official announcement.
