John Lewis Ad

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Stu
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John Lewis Ad

Post by Stu »

This story keeps cropping up in the Daily Telegraph. It relates to a TV ad for home insurance by John Lewis in which a lad dons his mother's dress and make up and goes on a destructive rampage. People were outraged for a number of reasons and one of the main objections was the involvement of a boy of tender years in the "drag act" scene.

The comments are interesting - for those who subscribe. The general impression from them regarding the drag aspect is that the problem wasn't with the boy wearing a dress per se - but rather the vampish "drag act" implication which is, or should be, an adult-only interest.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/1 ... -retailer/
Bodycon
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Re: John Lewis Ad

Post by Bodycon »

Subscribers only.....I do dislike those.....

Someone will always be angry at something.
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Sinned
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Re: John Lewis Ad

Post by Sinned »

Apparently there isn't a problem with the lad wearing a dress or even wearing garish make-up. The concern is the wanton destruction and havoc he wreaks whilst mother and sister just sit there complacent and let him continue which is being touted as stereotypical female behaviour. In real life he would be stopped after about 5 seconds. Horrible advert and not up to JL's usual standard. Reckoned to be a bit of an own goal.
I believe in offering every assistance short of actual help but then mainly just want to be left to be myself in all my difference and uniqueness.
Stu
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Re: John Lewis Ad

Post by Stu »

Sinned wrote: Sat Oct 30, 2021 9:56 amApparently there isn't a problem with the lad wearing a dress or even wearing garish make-up. The concern is the wanton destruction and havoc he wreaks whilst mother and sister just sit there complacent and let him continue which is being touted as stereotypical female behaviour. In real life he would be stopped after about 5 seconds. Horrible advert and not up to JL's usual standard. Reckoned to be a bit of an own goal.
I broadly agree. It showed a boy being destructive while the girl was "sensible" and that was also stereotyping - adversely stereotyping males as innately yobbish. The comments I have read in this and previous articles seem to not dwell on the dress aspect or suggest some kind of link to trans-activism (as there is clearly no connection), but with the fashionable interest in vampish drag - and young boys in particular being drawn into that - which is essentially sexual and highly inappropriate. I did a bit of work in advertising some years ago and it involved interviewing copywriters, graphic designers and art directors of large and small ad agencies and discussing with them where their ideas derived and that was quite insightful. They were the antithesis of "woke" - hard-headed and business-oriented - so I found this ad surprising and disappointing.
rivegauche
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Re: John Lewis Ad

Post by rivegauche »

I gather that the ad has been withdrawn. This was not because of complaints about boys in dresses or demure females but because it was misleading in terms of insurance.
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moonshadow
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Re: John Lewis Ad

Post by moonshadow »

For those interested.. here is the ad:

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk ... 990489.amp

For me it's not the dress that stirs annoyance and border line anger.. it's how this kid is destroying the entire house and everyone is just sitting there watching him like... "uh what do I do??"

In the old days you could wear the kids ass out... I don't know what I'd do in this situation as a parent... I'd probably call the sheriff and have him removed.

And woe unto the insurance company for suggesting that we should just "let [this] life happen"...

Nope! If that was my insurance agent I'd change companies...

See, this is why we can't have nice things... pop culture depicts and encourages kids to be little out of control hell raisers, then naturally ordinary people will associate all eccentric, or different people as behaving in such a way...

Then cometh the restrictions and new laws...
-Andrea
The old hillbilly from the coal fields of the Appalachian mountains currently living like there's no tomorrow on the west coast.
Ralph
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Re: John Lewis Ad

Post by Ralph »

I think the whole point of the passive lack of response is that they are so confident in the power of their insurance policy, they aren't at all worried about whatever disaster might strike - be it typhoon, earthquake, or hyperactive boy. "No worries about the china, insurance will pay for replacements!" However, the concerns that it portrays women as meek could have been resolved by also showing the father looking calmly on, perhaps the mum casually pulls out her phone and calls insurance, something like that.

Ah, here's the real outrage: Deceptive claims in the advert itself.
We would like to clarify that accidental damage cover is available as an add-on to John Lewis's new home contents insurance product and only covers accidental (not deliberate) damage.
Ralph!
Freedomforall
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Re: John Lewis Ad

Post by Freedomforall »

I am left wondering if insurance would even cover this since the boy is a household member?!?!?!
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moonshadow
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Re: John Lewis Ad

Post by moonshadow »

MmmMmmMmm....

"Mum" needs to go have him cut a switch.

It's probably illegal over yonder, and that's why the kid does what he does...

I'll probably draw heat for that... but you know what finally got me toilet trained as a toddler?

I messed my pants one time at her house and grandma wore me out for it... never messed my pants again. I still vaguely remember it too!
Last edited by moonshadow on Sun Oct 31, 2021 4:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
-Andrea
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Sinned
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Re: John Lewis Ad

Post by Sinned »

Moon, corporal punishment over here is a bit of a grey area being not technically illegal but is considered antisocial. It is not illegal for a parent to smack a child in a reasonable manner but if done in public expect to be possibly called out for it. There's a difference between a sharp smack on the back of the leg or bottom and "beating seven bells of hell" out of them which is called grievous bodily harm and is illegal. It's a matter of degree.

So for the kid in the advert shouting at him to stop and a smack or two would be the normal response as well as getting him to clear up the damage he has done.
I believe in offering every assistance short of actual help but then mainly just want to be left to be myself in all my difference and uniqueness.
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moonshadow
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Re: John Lewis Ad

Post by moonshadow »

Sinned wrote: Sat Oct 30, 2021 11:08 pm Moon, corporal punishment over here is a bit of a grey area being not technically illegal but is considered antisocial. It is not illegal for a parent to smack a child in a reasonable manner but if done in public expect to be possibly called out for it. There's a difference between a sharp smack on the back of the leg or bottom and "beating seven bells of hell" out of them which is called grievous bodily harm and is illegal. It's a matter of degree.
It seems to be like that over here... some areas it's encouraged, some areas it's not. I've had law enforcement flat out tell me that if I need to paddle my kid then I should.
Sinned wrote: Sat Oct 30, 2021 11:08 pm So for the kid in the advert shouting at him to stop and a smack or two would be the normal response as well as getting him to clear up the damage he has done.
While I realize the kid is acting for the commercial, I would imagine aby kid that actually misbehaves in such a way is probably too far gone...

Not to worry, within just a few years he'll be in the correctional system.
-Andrea
The old hillbilly from the coal fields of the Appalachian mountains currently living like there's no tomorrow on the west coast.
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