M and S ad - Mrs Claus

[Northernlurker]

Loved it!

I don't understand why she had to pretend she hadn't been doing anything?

I liked her cool demeanour (and beautiful house), but agree it feels a bit regressive with all the "suffering in silence" shit.

But at no point did it seem as if she was suffering, put upon or pissed off. In fact I felt she relished the chance to get her chopper out (ooer!). If she'd been all 'fucking hell, eyeroll' about it, that'd be different.

I do agree it's odd that she felt she had to hide what she'd been up to, but I actually think the kicking the letter off the table was just a vehicle to advertise those slipper sock things she was wearing, and her reclining with a book was done to inject the humour of 50 Shades of Red

I didn't interpret it as suffering in silence. I thought she enjoyed privately revelling in the fact she was the queen of Christmas.

I have no doubt that that particular Mrs Claus would not hesitate to delegate the shoe delivery if she wanted to. But she didn't want to delegate, she chose to go out and make the delivery (along with various others going by the other gifts in the helicopter). She was proud of a job well done and appeared to enjoy every moment.

Any I'm another one who thinks you're fab!!! I was an eejit at 16!! And remember, as the saying goes, If you're not angry, you're not paying attention!

I liked the ad's beauty - it was just gorgeous to look at!! But concur with Amy's points, so that takes the shine off it. I will just tell myself that Ms Claus is keeping old Santa in the dark in case he gets worried kids are losing their belief in him.

That will get tired very quickly. I LOVE the JL one! M&S one is awful by comparison!

Thank you OpheIia! I definitely won't be removing these very often twisted knickers. They're my favourite pair

LastGirlOnTheLeft thank you very much! I definitely have my moments when it comes to being an eejit mind you

Her enjoying it was part of why I found it frustrating they felt they had to have her hide it from her husband and pretend to have been having a quiet night in tending to the home whilst he was off working. Sort of hinted at women not wanting to outdo their husbands/boyfriends as success at work/general achievement is the preserve of men who don't like it if their wife/girlfriend is higher achieving than them.

I really don't like it. It made me cringe and the woman in is beyond smug. It is blatantly sexist as pointed out brilliantly by pp. I'll be reaching for the remote whoever it comes on.

Amy you are ace.

I quite enjoyed it until I saw lots of comments on Facebook with variations of the 'behind every great man' line, which were very irritating. Especially given that women usually put in far too much of the Christmas work in. After that I looked again at all the stereotypes and they grated a fair bit. Still it's much better than that horrible one a year or two back where the mother does all the work and doesn't even have a seat set at the table.

I suspect it will be one of those ads that annoys me more and more every time I watch it. I really liked the John Lewis one, partly because of the many Christmas Eves that dh and I have sent putting together toys for our children so it resonates.

Loved it and agree that JL in underwhelming this year

Maybe she doesn't want him to know what she was doing as she will then be expected to do more and actually she wants to have a jolly ride in a helicopter and then sit on the sofa in the warm riding her erotica, if he knew about the helicopter and the gadgets she would have to spend next xmas eve helping him out ALL night!

I liked it but I love JL this year. She looks knock out in the red though.

Thank you Enid!

nooka I disliked it as soon as I saw it but seeing some of the reaction on Facebook made me like it even less. I've seen similar and "goals" comments from girls my age, "Mrs Claus is totally me when I grow up", "my mum is Mrs Claus, gets all the presents and organises the whole of Christmas while dad relaxes" and "shoutout to Mr Claus for buying Mrs Claus a helicopter last Christmas" oh dear.

Now I'm glad M&S is in financial turmoil. Sort that one out Mrs Claus.

Well there are alternative feminist readings to place on it - Mrs Claus gets overwhelmingly the most screen time. Mr Claus is reduced to a bit part and has to be reminded to do his job properly. Given that Christmas is 'officially' about two men - FC and Jesus - that's pretty subversive. The other adult male who features is also ineffective - totally hopeless father. I disagree that the daughter is portrayed as hysterical. She just doesn't like having her stuff taken, being jumped out at or being sprayed with a hose.
Mrs Claus clearly does what she likes and is wielding all the power in the relationship. It annoys me that she hides it but as I said further down the thread that is up to her. She clearly doesn't HAVE to hide it.

Incidentally anybody who describes themselves as a feminazi, in jest or not, needs to grow the hell up.

Northernlurker I imagine that last line was perhaps aimed at me. It's obviously a ridiculous term but was clearly once in jest as it's been used towards me many times.

The daughter is presented as people see a typical teenage girl being, the boy is the one the viewer is supposed to warm to and praise. He's the one who shows love, care, concern, is thoughtful. The girl only shows any love for her brother upon being given a gift (as teenage girls are all materialistic).

"The daughter is presented as people see a typical teenage girl being, the boy is the one the viewer is supposed to warm to and praise. He's the one who shows love, care, concern, is thoughtful. The girl only shows any love for her brother upon being given a gift (as teenage girls are all materialistic)."

No, the poor girl was being tormented by him, you're supposed to feel sorry for her and it was the fact that he's realised he upset her and tries to make it better that makes her happy...unless anyone actually thinks teenage girls are desperate for M&S shoes

She wore them to play in the snow, she didn't actually like them or there's no way she'd have ruined them straight away.

Many times at the age of 16? Crikey.

The annoying younger brother is a well known trope of literature.
As is the teenage girl alienated from her family but remembering she loves them.

It could be argued that the almost invisible mother is another contribution to the thesis of the advert being that women sort out the mess men make. It's the father who is the parent involved in the conflict. The mother isn't shown at all and whilst that could in itself be criticised, the effect in the whole is that the father has failed, mrs Claus sorts it out. Woman triumphant, effective, not afraid to put her name to it......

Northernlurker I'm surprised that surprises you. I've lost count of the number of times the term is used by boys particularly online.

NavyandWhite I'd be surprised if the advert would have been made with the genders of the siblings reversed. It wouldn't have the effect they desired, concerned and caring if sometimes mischievous younger sister and generally angry teenage brother isn't what they'd be going for nor something you'd see much in media.

I watched this with my early teen daughter and our thoughts are

• no teen would wear M&S. it's for school uniform and a underwear. Hopefully nobody will buy that gift for teen girls. Lol. The house looks posh so surely the girl would have had Converse or Superstars?
• the boy was responsible for the dog ruining the shoe. Why did Mrs Claus replace it free of charge? The brother should have gone to M&S and bought a new pair out of his money. The dad (who should be disciplining him) could have driven him there.
• the daughter comes across as materialistic. The brother could have said or written the apology and not expected Mrs Claus to do it for him.
• the son is supposed to be loveable but he's annoying and not disciplined.

Woman triumphant, effective, not afraid to put her name to it...... and you didn't see a problem with this in regards to the storyline?
Feckless dad vs and an amazing woman who saves the day in regards to taking care of children. I bet he is good as this job and managing lots of people but he can't handle his own kids.
The mother was taken out of the storyline. If she was included, they would shown her playing the motherly role which was taken over by mrs. C. This is just reinforcing the stereotypes about women and the roles they play in regards to child rearing.