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Original poster

John Lewis and it’s ‘gender relaxed’ ad

634 replies

SouthernFashionista · 11/10/2021 19:44

Curious to hear thoughts on the new ad from John Lewis. It strikes me as sinister. Why does a small child have to send out a message of LGBTQ equality? Why is he acting like a drag queen.

OP posts:
twelly · 11/10/2021 22:11

This advert doesn't persuade me to purchase insurance. If I think about what the meaning is behind it my guess would be that there is a gender message - I don't know why the company thinks this would persuade me to purchase from them.

Hoardasurass · 11/10/2021 22:09

@rabbitwoman I would expect it was the 2nd part of your comment. I don't want to get deleted so am being circumspect about it. Though it was the 1 part of your post that I agreed with 🤣

Imnobody4 · 11/10/2021 22:07

Can't wait for their Xmas ad. (not). It's excruciatingly bad.

RockaLock · 11/10/2021 22:05

I do occasional surveys for JL, and so saw this ad a while back.

I told them I hated it, for many of the reasons already mentioned above.

WeeBisom · 11/10/2021 22:04

“Let life happen” entirely removes the agency from this little boy. The house just “happens” to be destroyed, it’s not him actively destroying it! I suppose he can pout and wear all the lipstick and glitter he wants but it still doesn’t take away his male entitlement to do whatever he pleases.

ChewtonRoad · 11/10/2021 21:59

I was just about to place an order with JL. I'll now buy the goods elsewhere and will write JL to let them know that "playful Reggie freely expressing himself" has meant the loss of a customer.

"Joy, freedom and humour" - there's not a scrap of any of that in the advert.

ArtemesiaK · 11/10/2021 21:58

It seems totally demented to me. But I wonder if it's a reference to the ad they had once with the clumsy girl dancing to Elton John's "Tiny Dancer"? I thought that one was quite amusing....

Bellendejour · 11/10/2021 21:55

Ugggh @OldCrone “the story we landed on” ad agency wanker cunts of death.

Tavelo · 11/10/2021 21:52

Just a bizarre advert all round and not in a good way. Doesn't accurately represent the service, no parents can associate with calmly watching a child purposely cause loads of damage. Honestly the 'gender' element is the least unusual thing here. But I don't think they do the 'trans movement' much favour associating it with reckless behaviour at the expense of everyone/thing else.

gluteustothemaximus · 11/10/2021 21:52

Who is it going to appeal to

People on twitter.

Same360 · 11/10/2021 21:47

It’s not ‘accidental’ damage though, he’s clearly doing it on purpose! He looks absolutely psychopathic, like a young Patrick Bateman!

Delphinium20 · 11/10/2021 21:40

@SingingSands

Jeez. It's not insurance that mum in the advert needs, it's Supernanny.
Lol. One side eye from Ms. Frost would make me apologize. However, doesn't mom know that glitter is a very danger substance?
rabbitwoman · 11/10/2021 21:36

(especially when that seems to be exactly what everyone else thinks....)

MissLucyEyelesbarrow · 11/10/2021 21:35

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OldCrone · 11/10/2021 21:35

I found this about the ad.

creative.salon/articles/work/adam-eveddb-john-lewis-insurance-let-life-happen

Claire Pointon, customer director for John Lewis said: “We wanted to inject joy, freedom and humour into this campaign. The story we landed on fulfils this, with the idea that when you have John Lewis’ Home Insurance with the option of accidental damage cover, you don’t need to worry anymore, you can just ‘let life happen’.

“The ad playfully highlights the things that could happen as Reggie dances around, freely expressing himself, from knocked vases and picture frames, to paint on the carpet and nail varnish along the bannisters.”

So I think they're saying, if you want your house redecorated and a load of new stuff, just take out their insurance and tell your kids to wreck the place.

rabbitwoman · 11/10/2021 21:33

..... and why on Earth has my perfectly innocuous post been deleted?!

I said I liked the advert!!!??? It just leaves a sour taste in the current climate!?

What merits a deletion!?

MrsFin · 11/10/2021 21:32

What a horrible child. Horrible advert.

SpindleWhirl · 11/10/2021 21:31

@rabbitwoman

why are the two females in it so passive?

Wasn't the predecessor to this advert, a few years ago now, a little girl doing exactly the same thing? Yes, I remember, because my mum thought it was based on me!!

Was that the un-Tidy Dancer one?

That was a different vibe because she was portrayed as annoying; whereas this boy is being portrayed as precious (in the adorable, valuable sense).

Fuck me, that paint spillage, let alone the disdain for his sister, is not endearing me to John Lewis.

Deadringer · 11/10/2021 21:28

Boys will be boys eh.

Congressdingo · 11/10/2021 21:26

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Shedbuilder · 11/10/2021 21:26

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SpeakingFranglais · 11/10/2021 21:24

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Original poster
SouthernFashionista · 11/10/2021 21:23

@SirChenjins you have phrased it perfectly. I’m not feeling very eloquent tonight due to illness. But what you say makes perfect sense.

OP posts:
GreenWhiteViolet · 11/10/2021 21:21

That's not just a boy wearing a dress and making a bit of a mess while playing and having fun. It's intentionally destructive behaviour with lots of sexualised poses and pouts that are very creepy given his age.

Why not a boy wearing a dress and painting with his sister? And why was it chosen given that, as others have said, insurance wouldn't pay out for this kind of damage.

I can't imagine any parent's response to a child over toddler age intentionally throwing paint on the floor and smearing it on walls would be 'let life happen'

WorriedWishingWell · 11/10/2021 21:19

Exactly. Sad