To feel vindicated that John Lewis has pulled its awful ad with the boy in the dress trashing the house?

[Clymene]

I wrote to the ASA and complained. I said the ad was misleading (as into insurance will cover wilful damage), sexist (with a boy rampaging through the house and destroying his mother and sister's things, and sexualised.

I also called John Lewis and told them I hated it and why.

They've withdrawn it.

GOOD

@TheFlis12345

I work in the industry and I amazed this advert was cleared for air as you are not generally allowed to depict dangerous or destructive behaviour that a child watching may copy.

That's really interesting.

Ha, brilliant!

Apart from the fact that the ad was totally misleading, the kid was not 'getting carried away with his performance' (performance of what?) and 'oblivious' to what he was doing, he deliberately trashed his sisters painting activity, little shit!

I do feel a bit sorry for the boy actor in the advert. He was probably being cheered on at the time, really egged on to 'camp it up' and 'work it, oh yeah' by the crew and everything and probably had a great time filming it, unaware of the wider connotations, what with being a child an all. And now it's all been messed up for him because of the adults around him.

Fun sponge

I totally get your point about wilful damage & sexism, but in what way was it sexualised?

Good for you, OP, I hated it - woke, misogynistic and awful messaging about how it’s ok for a boy to damage stuff belonging a girl.

I wish it had been withdrawn for those reasons though!

Well done. Thank you 👏🏼

@TheFlis12345

I’m also amazed that the insurance underwriter cleared it for air!

@Clymene

I read their policy in detail. It specifically excludes glass and chinaware, even if you take out the additional accidental damage policy.

No policy is going to cover you for your kid dancing with an umbrella in your Ming vase display room.

Ohhh no - what should I do to keep all my Ming vases safe?

@TheFlis12345

I work in the industry and I amazed this advert was cleared for air as you are not generally allowed to depict dangerous or destructive behaviour that a child watching may copy.

Does that apply to ads aired post watershed?

The reply from John Lewis is weird. It says it is meant to be a joyful depiction of a young actor getting carried away, not a depiction of a young boy. In the acting world, a young actor behaving like that on set would never get another job again! Yes, I've missed the point, but it's a bloody annoying reply in many ways😔

Well done to everyone who complained. JL should be ashamed of themselves. Who the hell is leading that business now? They can fuck right off. Perhaps it's not wise to stick two fingers up at your core base of middle class women who are sick to the back teeth of allllll of this misogynistic bullshit. Not one damn penny this christmas. Fuck em. I hope they fold. They'd have to properly apologise to ever get my business back.

Do love that Stevie Nicks song though!

The paint stuff was particularly awful.

@CailleachO good for you, but hope you aren't spending it all with Jeff Bezos instead...!

I'm glad it's gone, it was misleading about the terms of the home insurance they were selling which could have had serious real-world consequences.

Also, the only way that wilfully destructive behaviour could be construed as 'joyful' is if the kid is supposed to be a budding psychopath.

@Getyourarseofffthequattro

Have you nothing better to do?

I think this was a great way for the OP to.spend 5 minutes of their time, more people (myself included) should be less apathetic about shite like this on tv

@boismint

Do love that Stevie Nicks song though!

I chuckled a bit when Tess said “your favourite song, Claud” on Strictly this week… I feel there’s a backstory that we’ll never know!

@drum123

The reply from John Lewis is weird. It says it is meant to be a joyful depiction of a young actor getting carried away, not a depiction of a young boy. In the acting world, a young actor behaving like that on set would never get another job again! Yes, I've missed the point, but it's a bloody annoying reply in many ways😔

I think they're 'personalising' the actor to make the people complaining look like transphobic meanies. I also saw something from the actor's mum, saying he was just expressing himself etc. Any other ad it would just be an actor playing a part.. nothing to do with the actual child.

@Getyourarseofffthequattro

I agree they shouldn't put out misleading adverts, although I mean surely you read the small print anyway. I thought it was a nice advert in a world full of miserable shit.

But clearly I am in the minority and apparently means it's okay to personally attack me.

It was a shit advert.

Well done @Clymene! Excellent news.

Good for you OP for complaining. I hated it too.

Glad the advert has been pulled.

It was my go-to shop - not any more. The drip drip drip of evident disregard for women in their shops and in their adverts, it is obviously what the management think. They think we're like the mum in the ad - we'll just sit back and watch while they pirouette about. Well my money goes elsewhere now.

Glad it’s been pulled. Someone got so caught up in the creative, they completely forgot the point of the home insurance message. Can’t believe JL didn’t spot that themselves.

I also think it's terrific news. Was an awful advert.