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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think M&S use of Enola Gay in their current advertisement is just crass in the current climate?

195 replies

ArmitageShanked · 07/04/2023 01:23

As above.

OP posts:
TheLadyofShalott1 · 07/04/2023 04:38

Mummyoflittledragon · 07/04/2023 04:27

The most memorable line in the song for me ‘this is it boys, this is war’. It’s also an anti war song, where devastation is the end result of a pointless war. Personally, I don’t have an issue with such songs being used. I think it’s important to remember our past as if we forget it, the same mistakes will be repeated… unfortunately and inevitably they are, I believe.

But surely @Mummyoflittledragon that is why any good song with a serious message, should only be used appropriately. IMO that M&S advertisement is trivialising the message, and should not be used to encourage people to shop at their store.

Hoistupthemainsail · 07/04/2023 04:50

ArmitageShanked · 07/04/2023 01:43

Oh Gousto - the mantra for living these days 🙄

I'm a child of 70s/80s. I wouldn't put on my play list for a party.

Well that's good for you and your opinion. I really don't get why you're so offended and rude about people having a different opinion

Hoistupthemainsail · 07/04/2023 04:51

Siepie · 07/04/2023 01:47

Why post in AIBU if you're going to tell anyone saying YABU that they're an ignoramus or 'fucking ridiculous'?

This!!! Thank you - though I had stumbled upon a parallel universe!

knitnerd90 · 07/04/2023 04:51

I'm not offended but it's a poor choice of song. Wouldn't use it in an advert.

I did chuckle, though, when an American cheese company used "I Melt With You" in one of their commercials...

Goodyetalso · 07/04/2023 04:56

I thought the same as soon as I saw the advert. Enola Gay is a great song with a fun, catchy tune and a horrible meaning lurking inside. It is a terrible choice for any sort of marketing at the moment and I don’t understand how anyone involved didn’t realise that.

Goodyetalso · 07/04/2023 05:01

And I’m not offended by it, I’m just shocked that the decision was made to use it as surely somebody knew what it was about and signed it off anyway.

GoodChat · 07/04/2023 05:03

Pixiedust1234 · 07/04/2023 01:29

The Enola Gay is a Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber, named after Enola Gay Tibbets, the mother of the pilot, Colonel Paul Tibbets. On 6 August 1945, piloted by Tibbets and Robert A. Lewis during the final stages of World War II, it became the first aircraft to drop an atomic bomb in warfare.

I don't think its a good idea either OP.

Thank you for some context!

It's just the track they're using isn't it? No words?

Sleepyandconfused · 07/04/2023 05:12

Wrong war, wrong country, wrong bomb OP! The famous photo of the girl with her clothes burned off was a Vietnamese girl during the Vietnam was several years later. Burned by Napalm.

BakedTattie · 07/04/2023 05:13

That’s the best flounce I’ve seen by an op in a while 👏

MrsTerryPratchett · 07/04/2023 05:20

The OP did not come on here and tell everyone that they must be offended by that advert, she was just asking

And then personally insulted people who disagreed. Repeatedly.

Without him even speaking, Putin offends me, and to a slightly lesser extent, so does Trump.

Both of them are responsible for actual, current crimes. In Putin's case, war crimes. Of course this does and should offend. People are dead and dying today as a result of his actions. But there is no effect at all of using a catchy tune in an advert. No one will say, "nuclear war is brill" after hearing it. No one will actually trivialise it. It will have no effect except for slightly improving music on TV. There are no consequences.

That's when people get worried about policing. When you shouldn't do something merely because someone says that it is wrong. It causes no harm and does nothing but you should police yourself regardless. Shades of 1984.

I actually think it's when the snowflakes become the fascists you have to worry. Telling people what to do and think. Conflict and offence are important in a healthy, robust society. Not punching down, not offending actual people who suffer. But saying and doing things that challenge the orthodoxy.

RainyReadingDay · 07/04/2023 05:21

Trez1510 · 07/04/2023 02:47

I also agree. I feel uncomfortable when the advert comes on due to the incongruity of the 'shiny happy people' prancing around to a song about the horrors of nuclear war.

I think this may be generational though i.e. those of us who were adults during the Cold War are very atuned to what's going on at the moment vis-a-vis Russia. Others, perhaps not so much.

Same here.

alwayscrashinginthesamecar1 · 07/04/2023 06:04

I'm old enough to remember the song when it came out, and know what it is about, but I can't get offended by this. It's a great song!

PuddlesPityParty · 07/04/2023 06:24

@TheLadyofShalott1 how patronising can you be?? “Maybe she had a bad day” or maybe she’s an actual nuanced person and her posts won’t always align with your opinions. Jesus.

DerangedViper · 07/04/2023 06:30

I agree with OP - it's crass.

There are plenty of other songs that are "great" and which do not reference nuclear destruction and maternal criticism of the pilot (I'm guessing here, but I doubt most people don't remember the lyrics beyond a couple of lines, and don't get the polemic at all)

newjobnewstartihope · 07/04/2023 06:33

Lollllll
I can't quite get over the sheer indignation and self righteousness of the OP not just once but several times towards other posters, the incorrect assertion of 'facts' combined with trying to guilt trip/pour scorn on anyone not tilting their heads agreeing how awful it is
Mumsnet gold

DeflatedAgain · 07/04/2023 06:34

No way to live getting worked up over every little thing.

Chill out a bit

SunUp · 07/04/2023 06:35

TheLadyofShalott1 · 07/04/2023 04:27

The thing is @ArmitageShanked I don't think that Sunup had the slightest idea what the song was referring to until someone else explained it! If I am correct, then s/he was probably embarrassed at not knowing, so went on the defensive, which made her annoyed.

I haven't seen you say anywhere that you were actually offended by the advert. I thought you meant that you thought it was in poor taste to have used that whole episode in time as a frivolous advertisement, and I agree with you.

I was also surprised at MrsTerryPratchett's first reply to you, it didn't sound (read) to me like her usual commonsense self either. So I think that maybe she had had a bad day - we all get those!

Lastly, to everyone who seems to think that to be "offended" by something or someone, is a weak or "snowflake" type of reaction to things, I couldn't disagree with you more. Without him even speaking, Putin offends me, and to a slightly lesser extent, so does Trump. The "parties" that Boris and his cronies held during Lockdown also offend me greatly. But I don't expect everyone to be offended by the same things, and for someone else to tell anyone else what they must be, or not be, offended by, is in my mind, just ignorant.

The OP did not come on here and tell everyone that they must be offended* *by that advert, she was just asking - as people on Mumsnet are want to do - whether other people agreed with her thoughts that M&S have made an error in showing that particular advert. I agree with her that it is a very inappropriate song, and whether they realise it or not (and they really should do their homework on these things) it refers to such an awful occassion, that they should have just not used it to encourage people to buy their merchandise.
Obviously, no-one has to agree with me, but I think that a persons method, and/or reasons for disagreeing, say much more about them than they might wish.

No idea what the song was about?
I bought it on 12 inch vinyl when it was first released. I still have it.
They're one of my favourite 80s bands who I've seen live more times than I've had hot dinners.
No annoyance here, more fits of laughter. 😂

CatNamedEaster · 07/04/2023 06:36

I'm also old enough to renember it when it came out, never really listened to the lyrics, and coincidentally only found out what Enola Gay was a week ago because it was mentioned in a book I'm reading by a woman who travelled in Japan.
It's a difficult one. I don't think we should be censored by the idea that no-one should be offended but then if an advert was using Blurred Lines or The Weekend's Take My Breath I'd wonder who the fuck thought it was a good idea. I remember hearinv the latter loads around the time that a man was convicted of murder but had used the rough sex defence, and every time it was on the radio I'd wonder which fucking idiot at Radio 2 had decided it was appropriate, or why the dj would make a comment about how brilliant it was.
I was ignorant about Enola Gay though, people don't always take notice of things until they are pointed out.

ThankmelaterOkay · 07/04/2023 06:39

This reply has been deleted

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SunUp · 07/04/2023 06:41

@CatNamedEaster I'm surprised that you didn't know about Enola Gay if you're around my age.
Love your name btw.

Collywibbles · 07/04/2023 06:42

ArmitageShanked · 07/04/2023 01:23

As above.

I said the same when I first saw it. Seems a very "odd" song to use for any advert when you know what the lyrics are about.

SunUp · 07/04/2023 06:42

newjobnewstartihope · 07/04/2023 06:33

Lollllll
I can't quite get over the sheer indignation and self righteousness of the OP not just once but several times towards other posters, the incorrect assertion of 'facts' combined with trying to guilt trip/pour scorn on anyone not tilting their heads agreeing how awful it is
Mumsnet gold

And her mate lady snotty shallot.

ScentOfAMemory · 07/04/2023 06:44

Given that the (possible drunk?) OP is trying to assert that a photograph taken in the early 70s in Vietnam had something to do with the atomic bomb dropped in 1945, I'd say @SunUp knows a great deal more that's actually true than @ArmitageShanked does.

Loving the oh so subtle "don't you know who I am" inference aimed at @MrsTerryPratchett as well.

What an embarrassing self-declared self-important rant about a bit of background music. Still, always nice to witness a hefty dose of Dunning-Kruger.

Try 3 ibuprofen when you get up OP.

mrsorangepyjamas · 07/04/2023 06:48

DH said exactly the same thing, I must admit I hadn't noticed the advert, but yes OP you are right.

thegrain · 07/04/2023 06:48

I had absolutely no idea of the lyrics or the name of the tune until I just looked it up. So I imagine that's what the people who created it did.

Initially I agreed with you then I heard the tune and was like ah its that one that's just a jolly tune that's probably mentioned the plane once or something then I read through the whole lyrics and now am back to agreeing with you.

I don't think they did their due diligence on the song.

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