interview: STILLrYAN
JD Sports steps into Christmas 2025 with a fresh, youth-first vision. 286 voices. 286 stories. “Where Are You Going?”hands the camera to young people worldwide, with the entire campaign shot on mobile to capture a raw, unfiltered generation moving forever forward.
We sat down with campaign star Stillryan to chat about being part of the feature, his Christmas plans, and his passion for content creation
Interview By Sophie Emmett
Hey Ryan, how’s it going today?
It’s gone pretty well. We’ve had a great year. It’s been really productive, really fun, and there’s been a lot of challenges on the content creation side. Those challenges have made me stronger and they’ve got me really excited for 2026.
With Christmas practically tapping us on the shoulder, are you all set with gifts wrapped and ready to roll?
This is the first year I’ve been able to get ahead on Christmas gifts. Thankfully me and my girlfriend smashed it at the start of December.
The ‘Where Are You Going?’ campaign had such a youthful vibe. Did it spark any nostalgic memories of your own Christmases?
One thing that really brought memories back was when I interviewed the two young lads outside the JD store in Liverpool. That reminded me of being in college, being on my phone, looking ahead, thinking about what I was going to do when I finished college or my electrician apprenticeship, and what life was going to look like after that. Speaking to those lads took me straight back to that age. It was sick hearing how positive they were about their future, and that really brought it all back for me.
How does your family celebrate Christmas, any unique traditions?
On Christmas Day we invite the whole family round. Grandkids, brothers, sisters, everyone. There’s probably about 14 to 16 of us in the house, so we end up splitting between the kitchen and the living room because there’s that many people. It’s not a massive house, just a normal house, but we make it work. We have a big Christmas dinner and we usually play card games so everyone can have a laugh. One thing we used to do as a family was get one big Christmas present that everyone could use. Years ago we got a Wii, which was class. We don’t do it anymore now everyone’s older and moved out, but that was always a nice thing we did.
As a content creator, how do you juggle staying true to your aesthetic while syncing with a brand’s vision?
It’s not easy, it really isn’t. You’ve got a massive organisation with their own goals and vision, and a content creator who’s solid on what they stand for. You’ve got to go into it with open minds. When both sides allow each other room to talk, change ideas, and improve things together, that’s when it works best.
It’s a relationship, not a one way street.
Your fans went wild for the campaign. Did that surprise you?
It always surprises me. I don’t call them fans, I call them my community, the Stillgang. Seeing the support from working class kids from Liverpool, people from where I’m from, is mad. Messages saying they’re proud of me, that my mum and dad must be proud, that means everything.It drives me even more because the more I achieve, the more someone else can look at it and think, if he can do it, I can do it too.
What’s the best piece of feedback you’ve received from your community about the launch?
The wow factor of being part of such a massive campaign. I’ve had people stop me in everyday places saying how mad it is to see someone from Liverpool on a JD Christmas campaign. That kind of feedback is the best you can get and it just pushes you to go even harder.
Looking into next year, any projects you’re excited about?
“What Makes You Happy?” is a massive pillar of content that I’m pushing next year. I want to expand it more with the public and also with notable people, really growing it and reaching more people. I want to ask people what makes them happy, and then actually go and experience that with them, whether that’s something small or something bigger. Giving someone that feeling, even for half a day or a full day, means everything to me. Stilltalkingshow is also going to be massive. It lets me sit down with anyone and just have a normal conversation. I always say, you butter your toast, I butter my toast, we both wipe our arses, we all live normal lives. We’re all human at the end of the day.
Christmas can be a whirlwind for creators. How do you hit pause and enjoy it?
I’ve got really good people around me who remind me that it’s okay to hit pause. Taking that time off, switching off properly, and spending time with family gives me the motivation to come back and go even harder on the other side!