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Original poster

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

503 replies

Clymene · 27/10/2021 18:42

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They've withdrawn it.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

To feel vindicated that John Lewis has pulled its awful ad with the boy in the dress trashing the house?
OP posts:
Cam22 · 27/10/2021 21:57

Absolutely.

Caffeinefirst · 27/10/2021 21:58

I’m glad the ad’s been withdrawn as there are so many aspects to it that are wrong.

I feel sorry for the young boy (“actor” as JL refer to him). I can’t help but feel he’s been let down by all the adults involved.

I hope the ad is soon forgotten about.

senua · 27/10/2021 22:02

Well done OP and all the other complainants.
I suppose the one small crumb of comfort from this debacle is that the ASA did their job.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 27/10/2021 22:05

@HeronLanyon

The only way I could stomach it (when streaming ad included prog) was to see the child as a girl (and why not). It helped a bit but not with the basic problem of what ‘accidental’ means and what they were showing that it meant. Most stupid decision and I truly assume someone has been hauled over the coals or been let go for not thinking of this basic contractual problem.
The previous year's one of a girl dancing showed everything nearly being damaged or knocked off. Because girls don't do that, I suppose.
Bluemoononkentucky · 27/10/2021 22:16

Thing about the agenda pushing angle some see, for me anyway, is this.

The boy is not dressed as if he feels he is a girl.

He is wearing his boy clothes, on top of which he has destructively (to his mum's bedroom) applied a mockery of what he thinks a woman looks like.

Trans people don't do that. Not as far as I have seen.

The advert direction was more akin to a woman mocking drag act or a boy just taking the piss.

Anyway, thanks for being one of those who took the time to complain.

turnthebiglightoff · 27/10/2021 22:17

"I hope they fold" 80,000 people are employed by them. Lovely.

myheartskippedabeat · 27/10/2021 22:21

@Clymene

Brilliant work

It was the most stupid advert ever so well done 👍

callmeadoctor · 27/10/2021 22:22

@Getyourarseofffthequattro

Have you nothing better to do?
Is this not a personal attack MumsnetHQ?
mustlovegin · 27/10/2021 22:22

"I hope they fold" 80,000 people are employed by them. Lovely

They just need to cancel their ad agency and PR contracts. No one wants them to fold, but they need to wake up

turnthebiglightoff · 27/10/2021 22:23

A PP said "I hope they fold". So people do want them to fold!

SolasAnla · 27/10/2021 22:26

@LastToBePicked

My only guess is that the actual shoot strayed some way from the storyboard that was signed off and drifted from exuberance into wilful destruction.
If the JL manager signing off the ad failed to notice that the product (ad) was not what was requested that is a failure in the management system.

All of the processes involved in running the business should have a documented methology signed off by the Board of Directors.

There would be crossover from a multidisciplinary team which would include product development, marketing, legal dep compliance dep, internal audit etc.

The FCA review fail can have serious negative consequences both in PR terms financial terms.

www.fca.org.uk/news/news-stories/2020-fines

The BOD would have to receive a report on why/how they told people they would pay for damages not included in their policy (poor ad managerBlush) and discuss what changes would be needed to prevent it happening again.

The statement is an admission of guilt by the top management / BOD

Rhannion · 27/10/2021 22:28

@Getyourarseofffthequattro

Have you nothing better to do?
Not at the moment, how about you?
Soupseason · 27/10/2021 22:31

Getyourarseofffthequattro

Have you nothing better to do?

Is this not a personal attack MumsnetHQ?

Give over thats not a personal attack. It's a pretty standard (mild) reply

Marelle · 27/10/2021 22:37

Pleased it has been pulled but sad it’s for the wrong reasons. Because it was misleading. They haven’t acknowledged that it was sexist and depicted a child in a sexualised way.

knittingaddict · 27/10/2021 22:43

@TirednWorried

i would imagine JL is rubbing its hands in glee at the amount of attention this ad has generated
Do you think so? Our house insurance is with John Lewis. Great timing because we received the renewal notice last week. I will be going elsewhere. Was in John Lewis last weekend killing time and didn't buy a thing. I don't suppose I'm the only one voting with my feet.
mustlovegin · 27/10/2021 22:45

I didn’t complain about the ad but is there a way to complain about their response?

It would be good to know how to get the message across directly to top management. Their social media accounts appear to be co-opted too (or at least outsourced to another agency who's also failing them massively)

NoSquirrels · 27/10/2021 22:51

It was an absolutely shit ad on many, many levels. I looked up the agency to make sure it wasn’t made by anyone I knew!

I’m glad they’ve pulled it but that statement about a ‘young actor’ is bloody awful.

knittingaddict · 27/10/2021 22:51

@LastToBePicked

My only guess is that the actual shoot strayed some way from the storyboard that was signed off and drifted from exuberance into wilful destruction.
I don't believe that for a second. No way would they have allowed that to happen and it's grossly unfair on the young actor to suggest that's what occurred. I think even less of JL because of how they've tried to spin this.
mustlovegin · 27/10/2021 22:53

So people do want them to fold!

I like JL, but it seems the have fallen prey (same as many other companies) to an ad agency who has seized their marketing budget at best for self-indulgence, at worst to push others' agendas. Blaming a child for the debacle is certainly not ok. They appear to be ill advised all over.

Rhannion · 27/10/2021 22:54

Dare I mention the Twix Halloween advert...?

vinoandbrie · 27/10/2021 22:54

It was a dreadful advert.

mustlovegin · 27/10/2021 22:54

I don't believe that for a second

I agree, it's implausible

ThistlyPerf · 27/10/2021 22:55

He is wearing his boy clothes, on top of which he has destructively (to his mum's bedroom) applied a mockery of what he thinks a woman looks like.

Trans people don't do that. Not as far as I have seen.

The advert direction was more akin to a woman mocking drag act or a boy just taking the piss.

I honestly can’t understand how you got this impression. Of a woman mocking drag?

They are so pedantic, I can’t fathom how it got signed off. Unless they were wokeblinded by the stunning bravery and just waved it on through.

Yes this. In spades.

Rhannion · 27/10/2021 22:57

Bear in mind that JL used to refer to it’s employees as partners in the business and I would imagine a lot of them would have been unhappy with the advert too.

OrangeJuiceAndNoodles · 27/10/2021 22:57

Gosh, it's been a good week hasn't it?!

Priti Patel telling the police not to record male crimes as female, the BBC and the Mail covering The Cotton Ceiling. And now this!

I hope this isn't a blip but actually the start of things changing.

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