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This student fooled the internet into thinking the John Lewis advert was here early

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Screenshot / YouTube

Nothing, not even the end of the US nightmarepresidential election is as hotly anticipated as the John Lewis Christmas advert. And this student just accidentally fired a starting gun.

Since John Lewis launched their special Christmas adverts in 2007, the promotional spots have become a staple in festive Britain.

Who could forget last year's tear-jerking Man on the Moon?

But this year, Christmas seemed to come early when A-level student Nick Jablonka posted this video on YouTube.

The video, which he has now clarified formed part of his media coursework, was so in the spirit of the John Lewis Christmas ad, that people thought it actually was the ad.

Featuring an adorable lonely snowman, very much in the tone of 2014's Monty the Penguin, the video quickly went viral, with almost half a million views.

After so much online furore over the video, Nick had to post this clarification on YouTube:

This definitely isn't the official John Lewis advert.

Nick explains that he produced the video as a production piece to go with his essay on John Lewis and their successful marketing campaign. While he attempted to create a "John Lewis-style advert", he says, it's nothing to do with John Lewis the company.

To clarify, I do not affiliate myself with John Lewis or any of their production companies, this video is nothing more than a showcase of my last years media work.

That hasn't stopped some commenters from demanding that John Lewis offer him the job - or that this video should be the unofficial Christmas advert of 2016.

ActuallyTheLaw: "That's actually better than a lot of John Lewis' own ads. Well done that man."

Jacqueline Baker: "Absolutely unbelievably brilliant. You are an exceptionally talented person and definitively need to work for the JL!"

Sarah Robertson: "Wow it's amazing! should be the JL ad this year!!"

Nick's reply to one YouTuber is the sweetest:

Thank you Joanne, I just wanted to combine a warm love story with the idea of appreciation of those precious Christmas moments!

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