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!

Meh... It's nicely shot, good art direction, and the strapline at the end hits on a nice thought. Can't help but think it's just a nice bit of corporate synergy for Elton John - it's surely no coincidence that there's a film biopic of him coming out soon AND he has a tour to flog next year... also think that John Lewis, by flogging ££ pianos (even if only implicitly) are being rather tone-deaf.

Elton looks like a miserable git in the ad. Not exactly a happy xmas feel, more melancholy?

My young child would be scared if he came down on Christmas day and found that [santa] had brought a wrapped up dark goth looking wooden box monster and it was his only gift. He'd be properly pissed off with me and santa -- and wonder how that box had fitted through the chimley.

Is it possible a proportion of money went to the Elton John Foundation?

Sir Elton requested that a portion of his fee be donated to the Elton John Charitable Trust when he was first approached to be involved.

I LOVE it! Sentimental. Made me cry. Beats monsters and dogs bouncing on trampolines hands down!

Thanks Captain, sorry if that's already been said.

Not to mention the disgust at wasting paper.

Thanks Captain, sorry if that's already been said.

I don't know if it was already answered but that's what the sunday post have reported.

I like it, and I like Elton John. But I just don't understand why there is always so much hype around their ads. Neither their ads OR them are better than anything or anyone else.

There is always this massive fuss about them and their Christmas ad. I don't actually know a living soul who shops in there tbh, and that is probably why they are failing as a business.

Hate it. He’s notoriously a miserable shit so anything with him in it would get my back up to be fair!! Lots of schools have abandoned music lessons all together because of the lack of funding so it’s not exactly accessible or realistic. Give me bloody bouncing boxer dogs any day 😂😂

I thought it was a bit meh the first time I watched it, but I liked it better the second time.

I really liked it. Sentimental and not twee. I actually had a tear in my eye when the little boy came bounding down the stairs but it doesn't take much to set me off

As someone said upthread it would’ve been better if it showed him going around to schools in underprivileged areas, donating pianos and funding music tuition. The idea being that the next EJ has just started learning to play rather than this EJ promo for his movie and tour.

I didn't dislike it, but didn't think it was cry-worthy or all that good.

I only ever liked the one with the little boy waiting for Xmas day so he could give presents. That did make me cry.

Penguins I found bloody creepy - they bought him a wife for Xmas?!
Man on the Moon - creepy
Can't remember what last year's was

I love the song but I don't really get the ad? it's about gifts - so Elton piano was a gift from his granny, Your Song is a gift to whoever he wrote it for. I think people are getting far too caught up in their dislike for Elton John, the price of piano lessons and the fact that there is no cuddly toy marketing opportunity. JL are saying a gift can be so much more than a gift - who knows where it might lead. It doesn't have to be a piano (though apparently they are now stocking a few electric ones for those who are too literal minded to see that there might be another kind of gift that floats the recipient's boat). I think it's quite clever when you watch it for the first time - you think it's about Elton John, then you realise it's about his piano - a gift from his granny - almost certainly not bought from JL, but that doesn't matter because JL have thousands of other gift ideas. And the little boy's face when he runs down stairs and sees his gift makes me cry every time - because we all want our Christmas gifts to our kids to elicit that reaction. Don't understand why people are saying it's not Christmassy - in terms of Christmas as a retail opportunity (which is what these ads are all about) that's about as Christmassy as its gets.

I preferred their last joint advert - the school play one. That would have made a good Christmas advert, though obviously Sainsbury's has done something very similar for theirs anyway.

Loved it, made me cry!

Oh joy, another awful ad to turn the volume down on every time it comes on.

Could never understand the appeal of Elton John, he abuses pianos and sounds like he can't tell one key from another. I once had the misfortune to see him and had to leave before the end.

It's just a promo for his tour, IMO.

The Bear and the Hare was far better!

I'll stick with Kevin the carrot

I really liked it

Colin the carrot gets his skin peeled off and cut into small pieces and boiled. I don't like the adverts for that reason. Also he walks on those tiny roots, they must be painful with all that weight on them.
The penguin and boy adverts were my favourite because my youngest son loved penguins and it made me think of him.

I don't get it?

I mean I do get it (something you buy your child from JL could shape their entire life, but chances are it won't!!)

Incredibly disappointed with the ad. It feels like an Elton John promo

I like it. I never watch ads on TV but watched it this morning to answer the MN survey about it.

It's not all jingle bells and tinsel, which I like. It's about putting thought into a gift and look where the recipient might end up. Good message. Total counterpoint to the other ads which are BUY BUY BUY as much plastic STUFF STUFF as you can, because retailers want to shift shop loads of poorly made tat.

Well done John Lewis.

Nope. Not keen on the advert, just feels like an extended promo for his crappy film which is coming out soon.

I quite like it but I think it took too long to get to the point! I quite like the gifting of a piano a young child and the potential of where that could take him as this could apply to any gift. But there is too much of Elton John and not enough of the child and Xmas day imo.

Makes me think of my son (11) who is constantly on his keyboard learning new songs at the moment and I think it is great he is getting so much pleasure from just experimenting (and not being on the X Box!).