John Lewis and it’s ‘gender relaxed’ ad

[SouthernFashionista]

Curious to hear thoughts on the new ad from John Lewis. It strikes me as sinister. Why does a small child have to send out a message of LGBTQ equality? Why is he acting like a drag queen.

JapanJetplane and MrsArchchancellorRidcully please google Desmond is Amazing and Queen Lactatia and see if you think the same.

@LizzieSiddal

Does anyone know where this Ad has been broadcast? I haven’t seen it on TV (thank god).

It was on itv during The Chase ad breaks today

@drspouse

We've had 3 new TVs from insurance (not JL) and all 3 were child induced. Two were deliberately thrown (one per child) and one was DD aged about 2 so we thought possibly not deliberate.

You have twice had a child throw your tv??

I wonder how JL would feel if someone organized a flash dance of boys in dresses who oh so accidentally managed to trash the women's clothing section?

I wonder if I took a load of 8 year old boys smashing their way through Peter Jones, they'd just laugh it off as boys will be girls?

My mother would have broken a light fixture or two doing her own Howler at that boy. She would have grabbed him and slapped him into next week.

I found the sexualisation disturbing, but more important to me is the message it sent about male entitlement.

The sheer sexism of the whole advert repels me. And at a time when at last notice is being taken of male violence towards women, JL show us how it all starts, and we're meant to applaud it?

As previous posters have said, the cowed women says a lot about the dynamics. The whole advert says a lot about the people who created and approved it.

There have been some excellent points made. I hope everyone is taking the time to complain to JL.

My comment on the YouTube video about him being an obnoxious spoilt brat has been removed. Hmm.

I really don’t think this advert is having the effect John Lewis want. Ppl think the kid is an entitled horrific brat that needs a good session in the time out corner regardless of what he’s wearing

"Go with John Lewis Insurance - our premiums are high because we pay out for brat tantrums, but only if you're suitably middle class"

Treatment of women (all women) has been front page news for months - here we have a bratty child trashing the house and their sisters pasttime whilst down trodden DM looks on exasperated.

Where have their ad writers been. Obviously not cleaning lipstick off the walls, carpets etc - it stains.

Obviously haven't had to get carpets replaced, house redecorated recently as it is a hassle anyone would choose to avoid especially as you can't get tradesmen for love nor money these days

The implication is also that the child has gone through the mother’s things and trashed her bedroom.

I really don’t understand the message they are trying to send.

www.adweek.com/creativity/john-lewis-joyful-ad-lets-a-boy-embrace-his-inner-stevie-nicks/

I assume this is all copied from a John Lewis press release because the reviewer doesn’t appear to have watched either advertisement.

Would the same "joyful" and "expressive" message have been implied if the boy was not wearing female clothing? Are we being directed to the "stunning" and "brave" trope?

@FuriousAndFrustrated

My comment on the YouTube video about him being an obnoxious spoilt brat has been removed. Hmm.

Maybe it came across as a comment about the young actor rather than the character in the advertisement.

@Saisong

Would the same "joyful" and "expressive" message have been implied if the boy was not wearing female clothing? Are we being directed to the "stunning" and "brave" trope?

Very insightful. If he was wearing muddy boots and a rugby shirt, didn't strut but just tore down the stairs and rampaged round the house breaking everything, to a football chant, would that free to live or be, or whatever the daft excuse was?

The problem is that on SM the homophobes and Transphobes (actual ones) and the “anti woke “ brigade are clouding the very real issue of how a child deliberately trashes a house and the implication that JL would pay an insurance claim in those circumstances.
Anyone not applauding the ad is deemed to have an issue with a boy wearing a dress.

I just saw it.

He throws an umbrella at his sister.

He tips her paints on the floor.

And nothing happens to him.

WTF, John Lewis?

How are they allowed to put out an advert with a kid trashing the joint while watched by his mother and then say they cover accidental damage???

So accidental damage caused by children… yet little in this ad depicts ‘accidental’, certainly not upending paints on the carpet, or throwing an umbrella or the weak knees, pouty pose against the wall with paint and make up all over the hands.

Had the boy been dancing past the paints and knocked them and then stood on them, maybe. But they really have portrayed the ultimate stereotyped ‘diva’ behaviour and it comes across intentional not accidental.

This is nothing like the 2015 ad of the girl twirling mindlessly grabbing imaginary partners that are curtains and plants.

So John Lewis will cover a kid intentionally tipping paint on the floor?!