AIBU to think the John Lewis Christmas ad is crap?

[EmeryisntthenewWenger]

I really usually enjoy the JL Christmas ad but this year it’s bloody awful!

I totally get the message; a thoughtful gift can shape your destiny. Just a tad unfortunate that with the timing, it comes across as an EJ promo.

I’ve also heard that the “partners” are having their bonuses reduced, so to spend £5m on Elton must be a bitter pill to swallow for the staff.

I don't think it's aimed at parents specifically. I think it's aimed at grandparents:
-more likely to be EJ fans
-more likely to fork out £££ for a long-lasting worthy gift for grandchildren like a piano

I really disliked it, especially as it's not true.

I prefer this take on it

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/nov/15/elton-johns-john-lewis-christmas-ad-it-could-have-been-so-different

Sorry think my link was bad

www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/nov/15/elton-johns-john-lewis-christmas-ad-it-could-have-been-so-different

If it’s not true, then the advert loses all credibility. If the core message is about the butterfly effect of a gift then it absolutely needs to be true.

PS. That’s if it features a real person then it needs to be true.

I loved the Guardian version! Thanks

The thing is, JL don’t actually have to advertise anything - people are talking about the shop from late October wondering when their Christmas advert will be out. I like that there’s not tie in crap with this one. I can’t hold EJ being NC with his mum against him - I don’t know what their relationship was like, and we see people here getting told to go NC for all sorts of bullshit reasons. They reconciled before her death, he’s now an Old Man himself with the better part of his career well in the past and that showed in the ad. I like the message of the advert it - you never know where a gift will take them. I could decide to apply that to expensive musical instruments and wring my hands that I can’t afford to get DS a piano. Or I could think that way about the Lego set he is getting and think that could be encouraging creativity or who knows, he could end up an architect or engineer (based on the bridge he’s been building this morning on his Inset day).

I thought the Sainsbury’s ad was a JL/Waitrose one to start with because it was a rip off of their bohemian rasphody one.

Bit of a letdown. So hyped up

Love the Guardian slogan.

Not impressed with the ageist comments on here Wizz and Minecraft

Elton John is not an old man. He's 71
"EJ fans are more likely to be grandparents" - no, we're not. I'm 59 and nowhere near being a GP. And since he's had hits across the decades I'm pretty sure there are a lot of fans younger than me.

Age has nothing to do with an appreciation of music or of an artist.

Sorry but in what world is 71 anything other than old? I didn’t say it disparagingly, I didn’t say “and being old is shit”. I just said that objectively, he is an old man - not the young man dancing about on top of his piano as shown later in the advert. My parents are grandparents in their 50s, PILs are in their 60s and grandparents. EJ’s piano came from his grandmother - not unreasonable for someone to suggest the ad is aimed at grandparents.

I also said nothing about his music, which my mum likes at 52, I like at 28, and 5yo DS likes thanks to that SING film.

Haven’t RTFT so apologies if someone’s already posted this, but I like the Lidl take on it

Similar thoughts here Twiiterqueen.Having read most of the thread before actually seeing the ad I didn't expect to like it it.But putting cynicism aside yes EJ has been a well documented diva with a short fuse,and had tantrums - plus also been philanthropic on a massive scale and who really knows what other smaller private acts of generosity.Not defending him personally but I loved the ad.Simply for flipping me back to the sanctuary of my teenage bedroom with his earlier LPs,and wether it's true or not the message that some gifts can have a profound and lasting effect.I prefer that in the current climate of overconsumption and waste to an ad encouraging buying loads of ephemeral Xmas tat gifts.

I'm sure all 71 year olds will be delighted to hear that you're consigning them to the 'old' category Minecraft - especially those leading busy, fulfilling lives and contributing to work, society and the economy. 'Old' is a meaningless descriptor that carries all kinds of judgmental and prejudiced connotations. Elton's age has nothing to do with anything.

Lidl are on the ball there 😄

I’m sure most 71 years olds are under no illusion that they aren’t young. Youth isn’t a guarantee of vitality.

Fifties is very young to be grandparents.

I agree Agatha.

Not where I live 🤷🏻‍♀️ Early to mid-forties, yes. 30s, definitely. But not 50s and early 60s. Thats two generations of becoming parents at 25-30, which isn’t exactly controversial.

How delightful.

Where I live it's much older than that.

The end made me tear up a little bit, but the rest is an advert for Elton John.

The Lidl take is genius.

I loved the JL advert when the little boy is excited in the build up and its so he can give his parents a present, makes me sob every time.

Was that the one where we never found out what the present was Punishment, and we were all guessing?

I'm not sure how 71 isn't old.
How can it possibly be middle aged? Surely pensioners are old?