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?

[TheBogQueen]

Funny isn't it how we look to adverts to give some meaning to Christmas these days.

[MrsTerryPratchett]

There were ceasefires for Christmas and they did play football. They did share gifts. The reason that is poignant and tragic is because people know that they were being killed, traumatised, disabled, disfigured and blinded in their millions. Otherwise it's just a football game.

I watched it with DD, who is 3. She said it was 'nice', because all she saw was sharing and kindness. I wept like a baby because I know what those poor boys were there for.

[JennyWithers]

It's possibly unfortunate for Sainsbury's that I saw the advert immediately after watching a production of Our Boy Jack, the play about Rudyard Kipling's son, with DS1, who's 16. So Disneyfication of WWI wasn't going to work anyway. But whereas I cried like an eejit at the lonely John Lewis penguin, the "buy groceries cos Our Boys played football" message left me cold.

[feckitall]

I watched it this morning, tears were streaming by the end
There is an air of real competition over the Christmas ads this year.
Cynical or not the fact they are being talked about so much shows it works!

[angelohsodelight]

Sainsburys and RBL have been working together for over 20 years. If you don't like it, so what. I hate plenty of adverts but don't rant about it. People either will or won't buy the chocolate, simples. Half goes to RBL which is good.

[hackmum]

Crass and utterly cynical.

[TipsyTitFace]

I just find it hard to get past a supermarket using the first world war as a marketing ploy to earn money.

Yes there was a ceasefire at Christmas, but to glorify war in this way and ignore the 37 million people that died conscripted, willing and civilian is just vile.

I know its a hundred years since the start of the first world war, and this advert (as I type this I feel uneasy, an advert ffs how privileged are we?) romanticises war.

Both sainsbury's and the RBL would do better with an advert from a serving soldier home for Christmas, food, drink, presents. A Christmas many of us take for granted.

[Neverbuyheliumbalonz]

it sends a good message about Christmas- about togetherness, sharing what you have and peace- whereas most adverts nowadays are more materialistic.

Which is why it riles me that is has been used in a supermarket retail advert. Sainsbury's don't give a shit about 'togetherness, sharing and peace', if that was what they cared about the wouldn't need to join in the competitive tear jerking Xmas ads. They are a business, therefore they care about making money and getting you in the shops, and Christmas is the juiciest time for this.

The values above are nothing to do with a supermarket who wants to flog you turkey and mince lies, and for them to suggest it is is disingenuous and bullshit.

[Neverbuyheliumbalonz]

I haven't even watched it because I know it will be upsetting to watch. I know the story and I don't need to be 'educated' by a sanitised advert for a supermarket.

[FreudiansSlipper]

I rather it was not an advert for sainsburys

I am sure they could have sponsored the making of it without having to make that acknowledgement

there is always a way to inform people of your charitable contributions

[Mehitabel6]

I don't need to be 'educated' by a sanitised advert for a supermarket

I agree with the article in the Guardian here
A beautiful film but nothing like reality -and a bit baffling as to why it advertises a supermarket!

[GatoradeMeBitch]

I don't think it was airbrushing or bandwagon jumping - it is the 100 year anniversary. Surely it can't get too much coverage? I remember my Great-Granddad and his friend telling us about the Christmas truce, I think it was a moment of humanity people of his generation clung to. His friend suffered horribly with PTSD, he lived across the square and people could hear him shouting in his sleep. Happy true stories like that one must have given some comfort. It's a shame they aren't here anymore, but I think it's nice that younger people who may not have known about that day get to know about it now.

[GatoradeMeBitch]

It was made with Sainsbury's because they needed a big grocery retailer to produce and stock the charity chocolate bars.

[JanineStHubbins]

Why do we need charity chocolate bars in order to remember the Great War?

[Neverbuyheliumbalonz]

It's a shame they aren't here anymore, but I think it's nice that younger people who may not have known about that day get to know about it now.

Through an advert? That is where we are at now?

Anyone who claims to care about 'remembrance' will know this story.

[Shlep]

Every single film or story about WW1 is sanitised, this isn't the worst depiction. Tey researched it to try and make it historically accurate, and sure, they couldn't display the horror of the trenches, but that's because it's impossible- and it's also not a good earning strategy for RBL at all- charities know that to earn money, you need to give a bit of hope or happiness in charities' adverts, not just the actual depressing reality (every single advert always has an uplifting or 'happy' moment, even if it's just the 'you can save them, if you donate' bit). .

[FightingFires]

40 million people died. BUY MORE CHRISTMAS SHIT.

It's bloody disgusting.

[ChimesAndCarols]

I rather it was not an advert for sainsburys said Freudian

So where would you go to buy the chocolate bars, all money from which is going to the RBL?

[Nanny0gg]

I think it's awful. Airbrushing WWI, where men were killed by the million, to encourage you to buy your Christmas pud from a particular supermarket? Crass.


^^This

Dreadful. Nice clean actors in nice clean clothes. And disgraceful to use this subject as an advert.

[Neverbuyheliumbalonz]

I don't want to see the 'depressing reality' in a Christmas adver either, I want retailers to not exploit the deaths of soldiers to make money.

'They fought and died for your freedom in the trenches.........so that you could come and fill your trolley to the brim with food and drink in Sainsbury's'.

[ChimesAndCarols]

to encourage you to buy your Christmas pud from a particular supermarket?

I think you've missed the point - it is to encourage you to buy chocolate bars and the money will be given directly to the RBL. Same as buying a poppy - only you can eat it !!

[daisychain01]

On the 'cynical' point, how do we know that the decision-makers in Sainsburys didn't lose their loved-ones fighting in WW1?

Isn't it possible they may have decided they wanted to raise money for RBL by using the advertising power of Sainsbury's to get the message across?

[Neverbuyheliumbalonz]

I think you've missed the point - it is to encourage you to buy chocolate bars and the money will be given directly to the RBL.

No, it's really not.

[Mehitabel6]

it is to encourage you to buy chocolate bars and the money will be given directly to the RBL.

More to think that Sainsburys have the best Christmas Advert and we should shop there! (Very expensive way for them to sell one particular bar of chocolate!)

[mrsminiverscharlady]

So where would you go to buy the chocolate bars, all money from which is going to the RBL?

You mean all profit from the chocolate is going to RBL. There's nothing stopping anyone from donating to RBL if they want but getting some chocolate into the bargain is just so much nicer isn't it? You can stuff your face in the knowledge that it's in a good cause.

I wonder how much extra profit Saintsbury's will make from people popping in for chocolate and coming out with a trolley full of mince pies and bog roll. Wonder whether they'll be donating that too? No, thought not.