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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

In thinking the undertone to the new M&S advert is verging on inappropriate?

56 replies

Passmethewineandstraw · 26/04/2019 12:10

m.youtube.com/watch?v=5O8MItCzGM4

I’m sorry if this has already been posted but this new M&S advert is really not leaving a good taste in my mouth.

Yes it’s all very light-hearted, husband has dinner ready for wife coming in for work and wife phones to say she is planning on going for a few drinks with the girls. I guess they are at least trying, in that respect to not gender stereotype but ultimately wife is guilt tripped into not going for a few drinks with friends because her husband had already made dinner and goes as much to tell her friends that she is coming home...

All said in the annoying and vomit inducing, this isn’t just and old food voice.

Am I looking too deeply into this or is it verging on attempting to normalise manipulative and controlling behaviour?

OP posts:
PuppyMonkey · 26/04/2019 13:01

Im waiting for the sequel when she changes her mind and goes on the piss with the girls after all and then they all rock up at his for an M&S curry at 2am.Grin

MerryInthechelseahotel · 26/04/2019 13:03

Triple cooked chips eh? Is that once by M&S, once by your dopey husband and once by you when you get home from work? GrinGrinGrinGrinGrinGrinGrin

Disfordarkchocolate · 26/04/2019 13:08

I love their new adverts, especially the hot cross bun one in the tanning salon.

Foxyloxy1plus1 · 26/04/2019 13:09

No big deal, but it does look like M&S getting it wrong again. Like PPs I’d go to the chippy if I wanted fish and chips.

Jayne35 · 26/04/2019 13:09

Not inappropriate no, also I think that word gets overused.

Schuyler · 26/04/2019 13:12

You’re over thinking it. I do now really fancy fish and chips though.

VanGoghsDog · 26/04/2019 13:20

Bit of an overreaction, it's supposed to be him being amusing to her, isn't it?

He didn't say she couldn't go out at all.

Though totally agree that unless her house is 20 seconds walk from where she is calling him, it will be cold and unpleasant.

VanGoghsDog · 26/04/2019 13:21

Like PPs I’d go to the chippy if I wanted fish and chips.

There's no decent chippy near me, and F&C is £8 even from the dreadful van. I can do Lidl battered cod and chips in 20 mins (nearest chippy is a 20 min drive and none on the way home from work, so 40 min round trip) for about £2.50.

I love proper F&C but I keep them for seaside holidays now.

MadAboutWands · 26/04/2019 13:27

Serioulsy? An whatever M&S better than a night out with people you enjoy spending time with?
That’s so arrogant (from M&S!)

And the idea that food would be enough to convince your dw to come back home....

🤮🤮

MadAboutWands · 26/04/2019 13:29

I don’t find the guy amusing at all.
More pathetic than anything else actually.

And the playing on guilt ‘look at what I’ve done for you!!’ - even if it’s still mass produced (M&S) food aka he has done no cooking at all, no effort, nothing....

ScrimshawTheSecond · 26/04/2019 13:33

Looks bogging, though. Cold fish & chips, ew.

StealthPolarBear · 26/04/2019 13:33

I love chips but they didn't look that good

slashlover · 26/04/2019 13:34

I arrived home from work before my husband so I made dinner. Just as I was plating up as he was due home, he called me to tell me he was going out on the piss with his mates instead. AIBU to be raging?

Cue lots of people saying LTB and to chuck his dinner in the bin.

ChipSandwich · 26/04/2019 13:39

I think you're overthinking it as well. However, I'd have still gone out for a drink with my mates. I'm not always hungry when I get out of work, and I don't like being told when to eat.

That scenario would never happen in my house. Nobody ever dishes food up until we're through the door and not even then if we're not ready to eat. Daft and irritating advert.

NameChangedNoImagination · 26/04/2019 13:39

Chips look shit.

Squigglesworth · 26/04/2019 13:42

LOL

No, that's not offensive. It's clearly meant to indicate that the food is so irresistible she won't want to miss it-- and she doesn't, apparently. If this is "controlling" or "manipulative", I guess it's always controlling and manipulative to make your spouse's favorite food?

Also, he'd already made it (yeah, weird, unrealistic timing for the sake of the ad) before he knew she was thinking of going out with friends, so unless he's psychic or she does this every day... (...in which case, I wouldn't blame him fro trying to "manipulate" her into coming right home, every once in a while, poor guy!)

MadAboutWands · 26/04/2019 13:46

The thing he has NOT cooked dinner.
His efforts took about 2 mins to open two packets and out them in the oven.

It’s hardly LTB territory if she is saying she doesn’t want to eat them but prefers to go out!! Because there has been no effort or preparation involved!

CombineBananaFister · 26/04/2019 13:48

Poor M&S they really can't do right for doing wrong. It's just an advert that's trying to be a mildly amusing and show their food is so tasty it can't be resisted.
Now if he had a plate of their chicken dhansak ready and a packet of percy pigs I probably would've binned off a night out Blush Grin
Maybe I am biased though, I have a soft spot for them as they are one of the few retailers I can get clothes for DS medical condition at reasonable prices. Our local one also provides a homeless charity and DS school with food for their afterschool cooking/breakfast club to make hotmeals for families who are struggling.
I don't work for them btw hah Smile

scarbados · 26/04/2019 13:53

It's set in TVAdLand. I din't think it's supposed to make any sense.

HarryDaylight · 26/04/2019 13:59

I don't think it works at all on many levels. The cheesy storyline is trite and dated. The set is bland (is the tower block seen from the kitchen window hinting that M&S food shoppers are now from all social stratas, not merely wealthy?) Abysmal direction and lighting as well.

needanappp · 26/04/2019 14:12

It's a bit of a shit advert but I think YABU. It's clear that the intention is to parody the old adverts and that she decides not to go out with the girls because M&S fish and chips is so good that she doesn't want to miss out.

Definitely shit and pretty cringy but honestly it's like people pick apart everything to find something to be offended about.

ineedaknittedhat · 26/04/2019 14:16

In reality, he'd be sitting around in a vest and greying underpants playing a video game and she'd be stuck at work doing a double shift because Becky the relief nurse had phoned in sick last minute.

DontCallMeShitley · 26/04/2019 14:17

I didn't think there was any undertone, however I can't stand the ad. and it is downright creepy when his voice changes. He is weird too.

Agree that it will be cold before she gets home to eat it, unless she is right outside, although she does say 'be there in 5' or something similar.

Not a fan of M&S food anyway but that puts me right off.

Original poster
Passmethewineandstraw · 26/04/2019 14:46

Ok I do seem to be in the minority...

I’m not generally very precious or easy to offend but it didn’t sit well with me as I wouldn’t like my husband to tell my friends that I was coming home because he’d served up a shite ready meal!!

I haven’t seen the original ad’s they add basing these on though so I’m possibly missing the point.

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 26/04/2019 16:08

That’s so arrogant (from M&S!)

Of course it's not arrogant. It's an advert for their product! What are they meant to say? "our food is OK but it's not really all that."