To have a little cry over the new Sainsburys Christmas advert

[daisychain01]

...just like I did over Monty (the JL penguin).

I know Sainsbo's are making money out of WW1, maybe it's a cynical ploy to flog more turkeys and plonk, but at least they are donating the chocolate bar money to RBL.

What do you think?

[Edin55]

Also just seen it, I'd forgotten that Christmas truce happened but I was a bit knocked over that it's all for a SUPERMARKET.

[AliceInSandwichLand]

I only found out about this ad because my 16 year old daughter's friend showed me it yesterday. She had found it really moving, and it had obviously brought home the humanity of the soldiers to her in a way that nothing else had. Most of us on this thread are probably old enough to remember WW1 veterans on TV even if we didn't know any personally; I'm old enough that all 3 of my grandfathers and numerous great uncles fought in the war, and not all of them came back. So I, and many of us, still feel a personal connection to that war. But for young people today, WW1 must seem much more remote, and anything that helps new generations understand how awful and massive it was, even if it seems trite to us, has to be a good thing, I think. And I often think it's little things like chocolate packaging that remind us that people in the past were real people too. Advertisers tried to influence them too, they ate chocolate too. They weren't just numbers in official statistics. Even Sainsbury's advertising executives may genuinely feel the emotion and debt to those who fought for our freedom.

[Failedspinster]

What poolomoomon said. All of it.

[poolomoomon]

I love the sentiment of it. It's one of the greatest tales in history, never won't be poignant and always should be remembered. However using it to flog supermarket shit over Christmas is where it goes wrong. It's the fact it's acted out beautifully, no doubt will make a few people cry or stop and think at least and then it's ended with SAINSBURY'S. That's what left me cold. Is this what we've become? Using a beautiful but equally tragic moment in history to flog turkeys and chocolate? I know it's in conjunction with RBL and they're donating money from the chocolate, it doesn't matter. For me they've gone somewhere they really shouldn't have.

[angelohsodelight]

John Lewis penguin - profits to john Lewis and staff as its a partnership

Sainsburys £1 chocolate - 50p to sainsburys for costs, 50p to RBL

And the issue is what?

It isn't a "typical" christmas advert. Sainsburys and RBL have partnered to make an ad highlighting a chocolate bar and the centenary. Not a big deal, not awful.

[daisychain01]

Insensitive and tasteless? surely the fact the film is only a limited snapshot of WW1 for a specific purpose, to remind people about the Christmas Day truce, how can that offend.

I guess a lot of Christians found "Always look on the bright side of life" insensitive, but a lot of people were able to see it in a context, rather than looking for a reason to take offence

[UsedToBeAPaxmanFan]

The Sainsburys ad is tasteless, insensitive and cynical. I am surprised that the RBL have co-operated on it tbh.

[daisychain01]

I think you're missing my point, nanny.

What I'm saying is that the JL advert is promoting merchandise on the basis of a cutesy penguin, all family-friendly, but meanwhile the price gap between the sale price and JLs purchase price Is a hefty markup. And likely the people making the Penguins aren't having as prosperous a Festive season as the JL partners. Nor us lucky people who enjoy a JL shopping trip!

These commercial organisations want to enhance their image anyway they can but under the covers, practices aren't always as squeaky clean and "honest" as the advert would have us believe.

I might write to Andy Street's office (JL CEO) and ask him what his sourcing policy is

[MorelliOrRanger]

I love it. Best Xmas advert I've seen so far.

[Nanny0gg]

Of course it has a merchandising campaign behind it.

Which is clear for all to see.

[daisychain01]

Calling the Penguins an "honest" ad is surely getting hoodwinked like the WW1 theme.

It's a cute little penguin, with a merchandising campaign behind it. But where were the Penguins produced? Probably in China where the workers are paid £1 a week and a bowl of rice. If they are made in GB I'll eat my Santa hat. Apparently the £100 size costs about a tenner to JL.

[TheBogQueen]

I'm
Just chuckling at the idea that we are the cynical ones

[Nanny0gg]

Of course we're cynical, it's a huge supermarket chain. Do they act in an altruistic manner? No. You might have seen the recent news that people are spending less at these big supermarkets and profits are at all time lows, this is a huge effort to redress that. THAT's why this sentimental ads are filling our screens. And everything TheBogQueen said.


Yep.

And I cried at the penguins too. At least that was an 'honest' advert.

[sleepdodger]

They had run out if chocolate in my local store

[MissBlennerhasset]

Of course we're cynical, it's a huge supermarket chain. Do they act in an altruistic manner? No. You might have seen the recent news that people are spending less at these big supermarkets and profits are at all time lows, this is a huge effort to redress that. THAT's why this sentimental ads are filling our screens.

And everything TheBogQueen said.

[GatoradeMeBitch]

*There, not they

[GatoradeMeBitch]

Neverbuyheliumbalonz6 Well of course I expect that they learn about it at school. It's a nice advert, made with the full co-operation of the RBL and with a view to raising funds for them. They are way worse things to complain about any day of the week

[Mehitabel6]

I know, why have they become a thing

Why indeed?! It will get worse every Christmas.

[bodhranbae]

Don't know why people are surprised by this.

Advertising is a profession dominated by exploitative pond scum.
I always think fondly of the late great Bill Hicks's take on the advertising industry:

"There is no rationalisation for what you do and you are satan's little helpers.. you are the ruiner of all things good."

[MarshaBrady]

I know, why have they become a thing

[Mehitabel6]

I don't understand what it is about Christmas adverts anyway. I have had emails from Boots, Waitrose etc with a preview as if I am remotely interested in adverts and watch them!

[MarshaBrady]

And it was more upbeat than their usual glum Hovis looking advert too

[Neverbuyheliumbalonz]

As Jason Manford said - the bosses at JL will be like 'who signed off on going with a fucking penguin on the 100 year anniversary of WW1?!'

[MarshaBrady]

Really? What else would it be.

That's why they chose Coronation St to air it, to get the greatest emotive impact. Planning

[ChimesAndCarols]

So, so cynical