Why’s the John Lewis’ Xmas Ad so bloody menacing!

[Purplefoo]

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2025/nov/04/john-lewis-christmas-advert-countdown-90s-club-classic-where-love-lives

I genuinely thought it was about an abusive dad or a murderous son at first! So intense……

Really, to me they are absolutely bang on the JL demographic (although I think you may be underestimating how long ago 90s rave was- mid 50s is more like it!)

Top 5 for me-

1. Monty the Penguin
2. Boy who can't wait to give a present
3. Skateboard foster dad
4. Last year's sisters
5. Elton John

Don’t see anything remotely dark or menacing about it.

I haven’t seen the ad yet, but I often think this! But then I guess there aren’t many in the country who don’t know they type of thing JL sells, maybe it’s that they don't need to educate the audience on that, they just need to get people talking about their brand.

You don't know it's a John Lewis ad until the end. If you were watching it blind, you wouldn't know it was a "Christmas ad."

!00% The daughter doesn't look 'terrified'as it has been suggested but pissed off totally.

Yep all of this.

Of course they weren’t trying to suggest abuse. People are just reading it all wrong. Which is fine but not how the advert was intended.

Shit relationships because sometimes people struggle with communication and go through awkward phases?

That’s how I see it too.

Can you imagine that not all teenagers are the same? That some might be awkward, sometimes anxious, sometimes unsure of themselves?

With their own parents? In their own home? Yes, in a dysfunctional family, one with issues, where communication isn’t open, that happens, but not otherwise.

I know, right? Some baffling comments on here 😃

I don't need an ad to remind me to go Christmas shopping, they do not sway or inluence my choices of where to shop and I usually start buying and putting stuff away because I like getting non Christmassy stuff that people actually want. I am sure Christmas happened in all the decades before the ads became almost as hyped as the the festival is these days.

If your teens are nervous with their parents in their own home, there are huge problems and you need to address them.

And it doesn't make me think "oh I must run to John Lewis and get all my Christmas gifts there" which surely is the point of ads

Do you think sullen awkward teens only exist in dysfunctional families? Genuinely?

That’s not what she said and you know it.

Teens can have a perfectly good relationship with their parents and be happy at home but still suffer from anxiety, poor mental health, be shy, awkward, sullen, moody.

This too.

I love Christmas, and the ads but they don’t sway me. I do actually shop a lot in John Lewis as my son works pt for Waitrose so we get the discount. But it’s nothing to do with the ad. Which I do love.

No child should feel nervous or awkward around their parents, thats exactly what I said! At school, with people they don’t know as well etc, yes, but with their own parents, no. If they are, you have big problems.

The advert was parents with their children, a father with his son so that’s what we were talking about,

I said upthread I expect the vast majority of the UK doesn't actually have a clue what they sell as they only have about 35 branches so most people will never go to one.
It's a department store. Most people will know that but that's about it. It could sell anything.
For years I thought Lillywhites in Piccadilly Circus was an old fashioned store that sold ladies fancy undergarments and nightwear. I have no idea why I thought that. I might be the name. Turns out they are a specialist sports wear shop (currently owned by Sports Direct) 😂

It’s your interpretation that’s he’s nervous around his father. I don’t think that is the gist of the advert.

Lots of kids can be distracted, distant, grumpy, sullen around their parents. Apart from your perfect children of course.

At least it's not an old chap spying on a little girl

Show me a sullen teen and I’ll show you a parent who can’t communicate well, who has allowed their relationship with their teens to become distant. The bloke in the advert doesn’t speak to his son, doesn’t call him back when he realises he has forgotten to open his present. He needs to use his words.

The son couldn’t just say ‘hey dad, you didn’t open my gift’. If they had a good relationship, that’s what he would do, or just get it from under the tree and give it to his dad. When the dad found it, he didn’t call his son down and say ‘oh I missed this one son, let me open it with you here’……they’re .dysfunctional and not comfortable with each other. When your kids are teens, the relationship falls mostly on the adult to model good behaviour and communication.

Mu children are perfect to us, yes. 😉 They can communicate openly with us and don’t get nervous around us, that’s not really being perfect. It’s just the basics. Really basic actually as you’re in trouble. Sorry if you don’t see that.

Yeah - maybe watch the advert again. It wasn’t an advert with many words. I think that was the whole point…

FFS..! At least most people got it..

What exactly is sad though? That people (and families) go through different phases, through ups and downs, and that not everything is perfect and shiny all the time?