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!

Loved it but it does seem an ode to Elton's mum, which considering they didnt speak for years is a bit though they apparently reunited before her death

Great advert but awful for Christmas.

Who the fuck can afford a brand new upright piano? About 1 in 200,000 people right now. My family could barely afford ours 2nd hand 25yrs ago and that was with a warped soundboard and it came almost free from a neighbour!

I love John Lewis, but Elton John has naff all to do with Christmas.

Absolute fail. This should've been a midseason advert for birthday gifts.

I wanted a piano when I was young a few of my friends parents seemed to have those wooden upright ones, I think they were quite popular in the 60s sat in the corner of the room.

As a timeline down to his youth it doesn’t work at all. He seems to get younger and younger and then looks older again, then younger then suddenly a kid.

It’s all a bit shit

Oh I liked that!
As they imply, it shows that a Christmas gift could be the start of a lifelong passion that may change the child's life - if little Reggie Dwight had never been given a piano or the opportunity to play it, no Elton John.

I'm not sure a bunch of Octonauts stuff is going to have the same effect on my 5yo, but maybe it will - maybe he'll be another Jacques Cousteau as a result. Who knows!

Very disappointing. More like a promo for Elton John.

The wooden upright one is apparently £1500 in JL. The same price as the new 512gb iPhone and I bet plenty of people will get that.

Agree with strawberric that nothing has ever topped the Sainsburys Christmas truce ad. And probably never will.

I liked it.

I always like the John Lewis ads and I always cry.

The Boots ad however, makes me murderous and I have only seen it twice.

Just waiting for the Aldi version

I much prefer the new visa Xmas advert about supporting your local high street this Christmas and shopping locally with independant traders. The shopkeepers are all singing along individually to Mariah Carey's 'All I want for Christmas' - it's lovely and has a great message too.

I love the sentiment behind this advert.It’s about a gift that could change your life and really make a difference . I Loved the way it reversed his life to a child and how it all started with a piano gift.
Also love that it’s about a traditional gift that can make a difference not all this plastic rubbish that our kids ask for hence no cuddly toys for JL to hard sell us.
I like it

It's rubbish, Sainsburys is much better.

Meh. I like the concept, but wouldn't it have been lovely if it had been someone like David Attenborough as a little boy getting a book about animals that helped to set him on his incredible journey, and a book is an achievable gift for practically every parent. As a pp said it just needs into the Elton John massive ego machine, and he is well known to be a very lavish spendthrift, not a good message at a time when many people are struggling, and many others are trying to cut down on consumerism and trying to help save the planet.

oldmum22 I think you're taking it a bit literally. There's no suggestion that the piano came from JL.

I think it's promoting the Christmas spirit rather than the actual store, there's nothing wrong with that

deadringer get tweeting Sainsburys - they'll love that idea for next year!

JL will be stocking pianos this Christmas, so no pressure then

deadringer ah yes, David Attenborough would have been perfect, but, what would he have sung?
2bright gets twelve European stars ⭐️ for shoehorning brexit in .
I must confess my first thought on this was, Goodness, who knew there were so many people who looked like Elton John?

I love the fact that no matter the subject of a thread, someone will find a way of using it to try to bash Brexit.

at bashing Brexit. Poor Brexit

And poor, poor people who cannot afford an upright or music tuition and who will get into debt this Christmas because they want their kids to be successful like EJ - just as we face a global recession and no deal Brexit disaster. Tone deaf marketing imo.

I loved the ending, but overall there's too much focus on EJ - and considering it's really an advert for him, I dread to think how much he charged them

For me, nothing - nothing at all - will ever beat Mog's Christmas ... sniff

I liked it! JL is a shop, for once they are actually advertising what they are meant to be, and at least they are promoting purchasing a good thoughtful gift (not plastic tat, or mountains of presents and food)

I enjoyed the music, the transitions through his life and the end was very touching

wouldn't it have been lovely if it had been someone like David Attenborough as a little boy getting a book about animals that helped to set him on his incredible journey, and a book is an achievable gift for practically every parent

Now THERE'S a thought

I've sometimes wondered why no-one's ever involved him in a Christmas ad, and there surely can't be that much time left to do it. Music: Louis Armstrong's It's a Wonderful World

wouldn't it have been lovely if it had been someone like David Attenborough as a little boy getting a book about animals that helped to set him on his incredible journey, and a book is an achievable gift for practically every parent

Now THERE'S a thought grin

I've sometimes wondered why no-one's ever involved him in a Christmas ad, and there surely can't be that much time left to do it. Music: Louis Armstrong's It's a Wonderful World

Great ideas!

But I think that is what this ad is saying. Get them something they really want, to inspire and help them on their way.

Rubbish. Just publicity for EJ.

This years colin the carrot is co much better!