John Lewis – Clairey Sweetie

To be clear, I don’t hate the John Lewis Christmas advert(s), I hate the hype that precedes their launch each year and it’s been going on for so long, that resenting these adverts before they air has become ingrained in my very being.

Once upon a time, over on a blog before this one, way before blogging was cool, I used to round up and review all the Christmas adverts, and that little annual tradition of mine continued over here in 2014, 2015 and 2016. A tradition I loved and still love, but I feel that the John Lewis Christmas advert kind of killed it off as it overtook everything else. A bit like how the winner of the X Factor stole the Christmas number one slot for many years until the rest of the music industry finally rebelled and told it to fuck off.

My earliest memory of the John Lewis Christmas advert is the 2010 ‘She’s always the woman’ which at the time I remember really enjoying, probably more so for it’s sound track.

In the years since, as I wrote in those Christmas advert posts, John Lewis seemed to not only get cocky with their king of the Christmas advert title, but also seemed to really go out of their way to make viewers cry. I would have coped with this if it wasn’t for the stupid viewers who in their thousands fell over themselves trying to be the one who could declare the most about how much the stupid adverts made them cry which, -excuse the pun- bored me to tears. I mean just bore off.

Buster the Boxer, John Lewis’ 2016 Christmas advert entry was brilliant and I loved it. I rejoiced in everyone else’s disappointment in how it lacked emotion and no one was able to update their Facebook status in the usual way. This advert was fun and temporarily broke their typical Christmas advert formula.

John Lewis Christmas Advert 2022

Usually I wait to see all the Christmas adverts organically on TV, I like the experience of spotting them among the hum drum of a typical ad break. But at the time of writing, we are between service providers and relying entirely on catch up which has ruined the Christmas advert joy for me this year *shakes fist at the TV*.

As per, ahead of viewing this year’s advert, I see articles and social media posts saying how sad it is so even though I am hardened emotionally to their advertising, I am willing to feel the feels. However, the 2022 John Lewis Christmas advert is not in the least bit sad, or Christmassey. It is a lovely advert with a lovely ending that hits home, but it’s not a Christmas advert.

Call me old fashioned and I do totally get that messaging needs to not be super fluffy at this time of year because life is getting tough for all of us, some more so and absolutely awareness and support needs to be shared across the board. But Christmas is also the time to try and forget those things, or at least push to the back of our minds a little.

It’s a time for family, for joy, for decorations and tacky lights, for carols, for gifting. I live for the afternoon Channel 5 Hallmark Christmas films that are so bad they’re brilliant. I need that in my Christmas adverts, I need to be reminded about how fun this time of year can be. I need to see snowy landscapes, and Christmas trees, and children giddy in anticipation of Santa’s visit.

I don’t want sadness, because I have that in my reality as December approaches. I don’t want to be sad when I am looking for escapism, I don’t want to be sad for my children who are in those very very early years of learning how magical Christmas can be. I want to lose myself in Christmas crap that I pull out of the garage each year.

For me, I am still wholeheartedly trying to cling onto the idea that it’s not Christmas until I see the Cocoa Cola advert on TV but even I have to resign at some point reluctantly and admit that actually, John Lewis have probably got this in the bag now, sort of.

The John Lewis Christmas advert has become it’s own event in its own right. People look forward to it, they enjoy the experience of knowing it’ll probably make them cry, and honestly, is this so bad? It’s not, but I’ll still go out of my way to tell you that it’s just not for me. Try harder next year JL.

Until next time x

Hey Sweeties,

Before ClaireySweetie was born, my very first blog was over at thepassionqueen.wordpress.com which allowed me to talk about my love of advertising. Before John Lewis took over, I used to really look forward to the adverts at Christmas and I would do a roundup post discussing the key ones of that particular year. I miss doing this so I thought I would recreate that post on here for you guys, I hope that’s ok?

Before we get to it, what I will say is that I find the key players (the big brands –John Lewis, Sainsbury’s etc.) lose their momentum as the month goes on. At the start of November, particularly now with social media, everyone goes mental over the new Christmas adverts but within a week or two, I barely see them on my TV and conversation stops, and that’s before we’ve even actually had Christmas! Considering the budgets behind them, I actually think it’s the brands with the simpler campaigns that I feel have any kind of consistency. Agree?

Disclaimer: If you’re a fan of John Lewis advertising, please skip to the next advert so I cause no offence.

#Manonthemoon

I’m sorry, I really dislike this advert, not only is it not in the least bit sad, the whole science of the concept is completely unbelievable. While I can cry at most things at the drop of a hat, I have never cried at a John Lewis advert –I’m not made of stone, I just become numb to forced emotion and John Lewis seem to have got set on making people cry, over going out and making a great advert. I totally get the message about not forgetting the elderly at this time of year, and I know of a few people that were pushed to call up their Grandparents and relatives which is great. But that aside, I still dislike it and I am really disappointed in John Lewis for not taking the opportunity to go in a different direction this year with their advertising. Hopefully next Christmas they’ll have a change of tact.

Sainsbury’s –Mog’s Christmas Calamity

In defence of poor Mog, like with any domestic pet, you do something called ‘pet proofing’. As you know I have a house bunny (Lola) and as a fairly experienced rabbit owner, I understand that they chew through everything. I have never owned a cat but I assume there is a similar process that experienced owners go through with proofing their home. Mog’s family cannot be experienced cat owners for who would leave a cable of lights dangling by her bed? I’ll also say it took them a long time to realise shit was going on downstairs as she must have made a hellava racket. That all being said, I actually really like this offering from Sainsbury’s as it captures the true meaning of Christmas but like the John Lewis ad, it seems to have disappeared from our screens as quickly as it appeared?!

Asda

Remember what I said earlier about some brands creating simpler campaigns? Asda is the perfect example (as well as Lidl and Aldi this year too). On launch its long but as the month goes on, shorter edits of the advert are used and are far more impactful. *applauds*

Sky

I’ll let slide why people have left the table for a movie before everyone (notably Rosie) has finished eating, but I otherwise really like this advert –its fun and it captures a child’s imagination perfectly.

Waitrose –What makes Your Christmas?

I hated Waitrose’s advert last year (you can tell I’m a tough critic to please, right?). To be honest, along with John Lewis it’s what for me was the final straw with Christmas advertising becoming all about being over emotional rather than fun. So this year, I’m glad they didn’t follow John Lewis’ lead and instead went back to their roots and concentrated on what they do best –selling good quality food.

But of course, the real winner of the Christmas adverts is of course, Cocoa Cola –without fail, every single year, Christmas hasn’t officially started until you hear that distinctive sound and chime of the bells to confirm that the holidays are coming!

What are you favourite Christmas adverts?

Until next time x

Hey Sweeties,

This is going to be one of those posts where you either agree with me or I become your most hated blogger… but I hope this would only be temporary. The last couple of weeks my Sunday chat posts have been tied into quite personal things so I now want to lighten the mood and raise for discussion Christmas advertising, something we all have in common and an opinion on.

Yes I still think it’s a bit early to be mentioning Christmas but we’re all thinking about it so why try to deny the obvious eh?!

Anyway.

Most of you will be unaware but until earlier this year I had another blog (The Passion Queen) which was focussed entirely on (mostly television) advertising because I won’t lie to you, I love it! But in loving it, I am also (mostly) immune to its powers of persuasion and its ability to make even the strongest reduce to tears… particularly at Christmas.

What I am basically trying to say is that Monty the Penguin does nothing for me. Every year John Lewis releases an advert almost solely so that people go mad on social media sharing it and announcing how sore their eyes are after crying so hard. Pathetic. I am sorry but it is. John Lewis does this every single year and I am bored. I am not disputing that Monty (the penguin) is absolutely adorable and the advert as a whole is cute but crying over it? Please.

This year I am also go to throw into this mix Waitrose as they’ve gone all soppy unnecessarily as well.

Christmas is absolutely about sharing the day/festive period with family and present giving is part of that but above all it’s a happy time. It’s about celebration.

For retailers, Christmas is the most lucrative time of the year, they have to get it right to achieve the sales and those like the supermarket brands do generally concentrate their advertising on how they can contribute to making your Christmas great. Even the likes of Iceland and their bizarre hiring of Peter Andre, do ultimately tell you what they’re all about -that they have good food for a great price. The likes of Aldi and Lidl have also come into their own this year and I think Marks & Spencer have been a bit boring for their festive contribution. However, asides from making everyone except me cry, John Lewis from the sounds of things have just done fantastically well in the sale of cuddly toy penguins.

For me, my favourite Christmas advert this year is the one from Sainsburys. Why it has gained so much negative press is beyond me, I can see why some people would have a problem with it but for me, I just think it’s brilliant and it has been made with support from the British Legion. So what’s the problem?

This year marked 100 years since the start of the First World War and I think it is only apt that opportunity is made to remember and show respect for that time and those that lost their lives. Sainsburys have done their bit by reminding us that within the huge loss of lives, there were moments where the conflict at hand wasn’t all sad. The two enemy sides did, for short time, come together and do something human and share… this also happened to be at Christmas. Watching that advert made you stop and realise that it wasn’t soldiers fighting, it was mostly young lads who were one day friends and the next sworn enemies killing each other. Now that is worth crying over. It makes you remember that Christmas is not about a boy with his toy penguin who gets bought another toy penguin that goes viral across the internet; it’s about sharing and being together. I didn’t see one person share the Sainsburys advert on my social feeds.

So yes, how you all feel having realised I don’t like the John Lewis advert I don’t know. But it’s an opinion and we’re all entitled to those. So let me know what you guys think.

Until next time x

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