Christmas ads

roses, he's probably got a Woman in the Moon in there too!

Has anyone seen the article on the "front page" of Gransnet about this ad? They (HQ) reckon it's about, and I quote, "the beauty of an extraordinary intergenerational bond".

What???!! Between the kid and the man-in-the-moon?!!

Which of 'em thinks this stuff up?

Just seen the John Lewis ad. I just thought is was so dull and the theme so hackneyed.

I loved the dark version - the ending made me laugh out loud!

Iam64, it wasn't JL that did the chocolate bar ad, that was Sainsbury's who donated 100% of the profit to the British Legion. Wonder where JL got the idea for a charity tie-up

I usually like JL ads but hate this one, makes my skin crawl. M&S have the right idea by not making them too personal - do they?

I've never shopped in John Lewis and I'm afraid this advert is not likely to make me start....

Isn't it rather odd advertising the adverts?

I took it quite literally to be The Man in the Moon ! Perhaps I missed the start.It is quite long. I just feel they start this sort of thing far too early. December 1st would be soon enough.

janipat, you are right and I apologise for getting the advertising history so wrong. Mind you, that does suggest that advertising doesn't necessarily work doesn't it.
I loved the Sainsbury's ad - I know many people loathed it.

So far as JL goes, I do like their home insurance ad with the dancing girl. Their Christmas ad (like the Sainsbury one from last year) seems to be a real advertising gem, as they say about eastenders, everyone is talking about it.

People may be talking about it, but not necessarily in a good way!

I'm not sure how much it matters whether it's in a 'good way', JL is getting a lot of publicity

I've never shopped at JL and probably never will. I rarely pay much attention to adverts and then when I see threads such as this will have a closer look. I usually find that I don't really understand them until I have watched several times and then don't see the point. I certainly never respond emotionally to them though I cry easily at other events in life.

I have not read this whole thread and forgive me if it has already been suggested but why don't these big companies use that money on providing for old people, children, families or penguins directly? A cheap advert saying they have done it would have more impact on me.

I really do not like this advert. What's it saying, if you are old and been put out of sight, the moon representing a car home, then someone might remember you? Is it aimed at the families saying they should remember? Or is it a message that someone with dementia who seems unreachable can still benefit from interaction with their families? Or is it that if you are miles away from your family that's sense of loss can be fixed with a John Lewis delivery? Personally I think the message is not clear because it had been very carefully crafted to speak to a wide range of people and tug at their individual insecurities, fears and guilt. The only thing that is absolutely clear is they didn't use Hermes to deliver as the telescope wouldn't have made it there so efficiently!

Should have said "care" home!! Typed it on my phone - predictive text has made far worse errors mind you.

It's a very mixed up ad. On the one hand, it's a sweet little tale of a child worrying about the man-on-the-moon and sending him a means to connect with us on earth. On the other hand it's a miserable lecture on not neglecting the old folks at Xmas.

I think tying Age UK in with it was a bad idea. They should have left it as just a cute ad. They themselves could donate money to Age UK.

Jingle The John Lewis ad cost £7,000,000 to make. Think what Age Concern could have done with that.

The JL ad is tasteless and I am surprised that Age Uk have approved it. The old man still ends up isolated and alone and no one has invited him to spend Christmas day with them. There is no "feel good factor". I found it quite depressing.

A certain member of my family who is a John Lewis 'partner', was quite offended when I reported the general Gransnet opinion of their advert, but - don't tell him - I agree: it doesn't do anything for me!

Aren't we taking this a little too literally? There is no old man on the moon and if there was he would be dead because he hasn't got a space suit on. Isn't it meant to be a sort of fairy tale, in keeping with the Father Christmas theme?

I'm not afan of the advertising industry anyway since it is just there to manipulate people but, setting that aside, I thought this was, artistically, quite good but I see I'm in a minority. (I also like the song they used).

I agree that the £7,000,000 that it cost to make this ad (does that include the cost of air time?) would be much better spent on Age Concern or in fact any charity - but that applies to all the adverts on telly.

Ohhh... tears here, too. I'm lucky enough to live near my grandchildren and see them at Christmas and so forth, but I know not everybody is (sigh).

Don't have time to read all the responses, right now. Will come back later. Hope I don't just repeat what someone else has said.

However, I'm not surprised at the advertising - kind of expect it around this time of year. Anyway, I think they're just trying to say that, even if someone is far away, you can keep in touch with them and they with you through gifts and so forth. However, it leaves a lot unsaid. As one poster mentioned, for example, why didn't they invite the old man (grandpa, maybe?) to come for Christmas, instead of just sending him a present? Perhaps they did, though, but it's too hard for him to travel. We don't really know.

Also, I see the use of another planet as trying to show how some people feel when they're far away - as if they're on another planet from their loved ones. However, I can also see where this might just upset some long distance GPs, rather than make them feel understood or encouraged.

It also makes me think about all the GPs who won't get a present from their loved ones, this year, or who send a gift and don't get a response. Or who are, unfortunately, estranged from their GC's families and don't know if their gifts will even be accepted or have them returned unopened. Hopefully, there aren't too many of those, but I know they exist. This advert could just make them sadder. However, they probably weren't thinking about that when they made it.

"...and if there was he would be dead because he hasn't got a spacesuit on"

Lol!

(That's probably what a lot of the kids will say when they see it)

having lost my partner 7 months ago, i absolutely hate this advert, its a very painful reminder of that old man alone, crying, just like my life as it is now.

Oh Tiger, so, so sorry.

The ad fails for me on so many levels, from Jings angle that the old man couldn't survive on the moon and the silly puny telescope, to the effect on those like you. Christmas is bad enough for those who're on their own not by choice without JL rubbing it in.

Eloethan said the bit about him not surviving without a spacesuit! I just re-quoted it because it was funny.