Men ‘feeling excluded’ from John Lewis ad

[Moro93]

I just watched the new John Lewis Christmas advert on YouTube. I just spent the whole time laughing at how the comment section is filled with men complaining about the lack of men in the ad!

Their fragile male egos are being shattered because men aren’t at the forefront of a Christmas ad. We women should hang our heads in shame and solidarity for the poor, excluded men 🥲

The JL ads have included men before though.
This year they didn't. It's not a big deal.
Other ads have men in them.

I hadn't even noticed.
There a man in the other John Lewis advert - the sad one.

Cats, obviously. We're being manipulated by our feline overlords.

Where did I suggest that?

True. I can completely believe they have the capability.

It's manufactored outrage. I'd be amazed if those replies are from real people, but even if they are, they're only thinking that way because they've read or heard that opinion somewhere. It never in a million years would occur to most men to watch an advert for a shop on TV and complain that there's not enough male representation. It just isn't something that people notice or care about in reality. This point is being magnified to create outrage.

It's women who mostly do Christmas shopping in John Lewis, and there is nothing weird about an advert about a woman shopping for her sister.

The tesco one is all about a man, and everyone in it is male. Maybe they should just limit their gift buying to Tesco's this year.

Also, it's very funny how the people moaning about the lack of men are also the people who complain about the "over representation" of non white people in adverts. So which is it, is representation important or not?

Or he'd say " Oh sorry I've had a lot on, heres 30 quid.". If he truly loved his sister he might ask his mum for a card on Christmas eve to stick the £30 in. My brothers...oh yes.

What are you talking about? It's an advert about a woman shopping for her sister. I have a lovely dad and husband, but I don't take them with me when I go to John Lewis to buy my sitster a christmas present.

The tesco one has only men in it, I don't care because I'm not insane.

Ahhh this is so true.

The advert is designed to appeal to women because we will be buying the presents, the food, the decorations etc.

Imagine one's life being so stress free that they have to look for inconsequential shit like this to feel victimised about.

Tbh I didn't watch it carefully enough the first time so I assumed it was 2 lesbians making up after an argument. There are always 2 white, very attractive lesbians in every advert so i just saw it as that.

A JL ad with two grown men only and one looking for a special present would raise eyebrows everywhere or maybe provide some light entertainment ! Maybe they missed a trick there. Plus the very first famous one with the little boy waiting for Christmas to give away his present was male and he had bought it himself.

"When you're accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression,"

VivianLea: "It's manufactored outrage. I'd be amazed if those replies are from real people, but even if they are, they're only thinking that way because they've read or heard that opinion somewhere. It never in a million years would occur to most men to watch an advert for a shop on TV and complain that there's not enough male representation. It just isn't something that people notice or care about in reality. This point is being magnified to create outrage..."

I agree. I do not think most men give a flying fuck about retailers' Christmas adverts.

Boots adverts have always pissed my husband off- he never liked them after all the here come the girls stuff

Mind you he thinks he does a lot of prep for Christmas - HA!

I'd imagine so. What sort of "man" takes to the Internet to express his angst about a Christmas advert?

I might try boycotting hoovering and blame it on the shake n vac advert. I'm sure there are loads of things I could manufacture offense at if I could be bothered.

I'm sorry to single your post out Gettingbysomehow, but what have social media algorithms done to us when we are talking about fury and rage over advertisements?! Can you imagine making a post like this even just 10 years ago?

The John Lewis advert is a slightly confusing and mawkish advert about a woman taking a trip through her memories to buy a present for her sister. 10 years ago it would have prompted no more than mild like it/don't get it type conversations.

There is a Tesco advert in a very similar vein about a man taking a trip through his memories to make Christmas special for his Grandfather (or possibly his Dad, I forget!)

Each has been written to appeal to a particular core customer base and, they hope, increase profits. That's as deep as it gets.

There is also a Boots advert (which I think you might have confused with the JL one?) featuring a team of mostly women lead by Mrs Claus to finish off the Christmas preparations whilst Santa naps. Given Boot's core demographic it's no surprise it is primarily aimed at women. It is one of a very long tradition of Christmas adverts with the same core theme of Mum 'helping' Father Christmas.

Any outrage over these adverts is completely manufactured.

I love social media but we need to be so careful not to let ourselves get manipulated. There's a beautiful world out there full of kind, funny, complex people and that is what gets lost sometimes as we try to connect through these screens.

These bloody christmas ads have got ridiculous.

I wouldn't have thought the majority of men are that invested in Christmas ads or take much notice to be honest. Certainly not the ones in my life

Quick survey of the two men still at home here
Ds2 ' what ad ?'
Dh , I heard it being discussed on the radio
It seems alright.
Obviously not frothing over the net or upset they were not ' represented '!

The key point here is that men do about 2% of all Christmas prep. Nobody gives a shit if they don’t like the John Lewis ad - it’s not FOR them

Or it would be like in Motherland, where he's in the queue buying food in the supermarket and picks up an Anthony Worrall Thompson salt pig for his DW's present from the display of crap by the till.

I can imagine DH's face if I ask him how he feels about no men in an advert. About the same as if I ask him who he thinks will win Love Island.

Constantly shoving things down our throats. We are fully aware there are different cultures/colours/sexualities. As an adult with a brain, I do not consistently require this to be explained to me via media. Can we not all just co-exist as people without wokism rammed at us in every direction we look? It's got absolutely ridiculous. Gay/Straight, Black/White, LGTBQ, nobody wants this! And seriously if I see one more 🌈 😂