It is tempting to think that once you reach the status of national treasure – as John Lewis has  – you can afford to relax. Not so for Rachel Swift. The retailer’s advertising campaigns have entered marketing lore as the way to do Christmas. Each new release is hotly anticipated and that is where Swift’s biggest challenge lies. “We have dominated the emotional advertising space at Christmas for many years now and how we continue to do so in a way that’s authentic and relevant to the brand keeps me awake at night,” she says. Having the brand’s campaigns being critiqued in the same way as a TV show is one of her high points. Seeing the cast of Gogglebox review Monty the Penguin is one of her proudest career moments she says.