John Lewis in the Dog House with their ‘Your Song’ Christmas Advert
19 November 2010 by SilkyJust a couple of days after the shocking partial breast revelation revelations in Beyoncé’s Heat perfume advert, the BBC have news of an advert that’s even more sickening – the John Lewis Christmas 2010 Advert:
So far the advert above has drawn nearly 150 complaints to the ASA and, that ‘must have’ accessory of any self respecting/congratulatory campaign group, the Facebook Page has more than 1700 “likages”.
What’s got these people foaming at the mouth is the scene of the young boy in his snowy garden, hanging a stocking on his Scottish Deerhound’s kennel but not inviting the poor fur-covered blighter indoors. And it’s this simple act of giving the “evolved from wolves” dog in a kennel a Christmas gift from J-Lews that the complainers claim “glamourises dog neglect”.
That’s right, it’s the whole ridiculous VW Polo singing dog affair all over again! And yes, I accept your point, it would be more glamourous if there were Diamonique dog collar in that stocking.
Except this time it seems somehow worse than the VW singing dog. Because the degree of anger this advert has caused shouldn’t be underestimated. The BBC website reported that Beverley Cuddy, editor of Dogs Today, said (Now, this really is blogging of the highest quality, folks – reporting on a report which itself reported on a report! Bravo me!)
“We are horrified by this. We have already had people tell us they can’t visit their father for Christmas because he thinks it is alright to leave the dog outside in the shed, because it’s alright for John Lewis.”
Honestly, someone wont visit their own father because he claims he’ll do something to a dog that he’s seen in an advert? Now, come on, that’s barking!
Cuddy’s not alone though. Similarly the creator of the Facebook hate page says the ad sends “the wrong message about the conditions that it’s acceptable to keep a dog”. Or as they’re better known “dog kennels”.
And, as a dog owner myself, I completely sympathise with the campaign. I was so outraged by the advert that I made an effigy of John Lewis himself but rather than burning it I let my dog have sex with its leg. Repeatedly. I was also moved to ‘direct action’ – as one of the ring leaders responsible for “ragging” the students from Puppy University who were, until my arrival, making a mostly peaceful and well mannered protest outside the John Lewis Solihull store. Although there was some inevitability about it, I’m sure my various anti-inadequately sized kennel slogans helped turn it into a dirty protest.
But, in a rare moment of seriousness on TWA, I think that I and the complainers need to be careful.
Because thanks to the largely over the top response to this advert, combined with an interpretation that’s most likely at odds with the wider public, it’s all too easy to ridicule the people behind the complaints and the campaign. Of course, that’s not to condone animal cruelty nor to say these people don’t feel genuine concern. But the organisers of this John Lewis hate campaign mustn’t allow their feelings, the hyperbole they’re using to express those feelings and the publicity their campaign has gained to make people who care about animals appear “proper SuBo mental”.
Because that could undermine the work done by animal welfare groups and, Heaven forfend, might even make the role of the ASA seem farcical!
20Responses:
Graham
Said on the 20 November 2010
Remember, what’s worse than being talked about, it’s not being talked about and all this free publicity for John Lewis whilst those against the advert seem to be happy to show themselves up.
Sadly, not everyone is smart enough to work out that you’re not being serious here; probably the same people that think the message is ‘hey everyone, John Lewis says “keep your poodle outside in the freezing cold”‘ (surely the fact this type of dog prefers it outside does not have to be repeated).
Leoni S
Said on the 20 November 2010
What a load of trash some of you just have NO idea what this is about! Add a T to the end of your name and hey presto you have it one!!
Biscuit
Said on the 20 November 2010
Agree with the sentiments that the Stop the Advert campaign are now in danger of looking like deranged fundamentalists. They will not entertain any dissenters on their FB Page, nor asking questions of their motivation, like who exactly is going to benefit by stopping this Advert? Dog abuse etc has been going inside houses for years, and won’t stop by taking this Ad off the air.
What about the number of people dependant on JL for a job/living? If the advert is pulled and sales go down – what then?
There has been no sense of resonableness/proportion/negotiation in their demands, and they seems intent everyone in the country is so feeble minded they will be brainwashed by a TV advert.
squeezy
Said on the 21 November 2010
I can understand how it would upset dog lovers, it does make you feel sorry for the poor dog, segregated from the family, in his cold drafty kennel, you’d have thought they’d call the poor chap in, especially as its Christmas, I’ll bet they don’t even think to save him the leftovers. Rotten Bastards!
My dogs have opened one of their presents each already.
They got hoodies!
ClaireFremlin (ClaireFremlin)
Said on the 22 November 2010
Some people think that John Lewis is evil and bad http://bit.ly/a8NiS0 (See how I avoided the obvious joke? I’m awesome)
Hayley
Said on the 23 November 2010
its a very bleak ending to what is supposed to be a heart warming family christmas, they would have got a better response if they’d have shown the dog asleep on a rug in the kitchen or similar!!!
angie
Said on the 24 November 2010
people need to get a grip, dogs can live in kennels and outdoor enclosures. next you’ll be saying taking a dog for a walk in the snow is cruel as their ickle paws will get a bit chilly.
what next, a backlash against the cbeebies programme “big barn farm” due to the fact there’s a puppy called digger that lives in a kennel on the farm.
Toe Knee
Said on the 26 November 2010
If we can get part of an advert cut from one version of it for apparent cruelty to animals, can we get entire adverts removed for breaches of human rights?
I am of course speaking of those of us who’ve had our right to watch TV for more than 30 seconds before an overweight sterotype pops up and tells us to compare something.
But I digress. I hadn’t noticed the dog at the end before. My concern is for the horse being reluctantly dragged up the stairs.
Hamleys feels the force of social | Julius Duncan's Blog
Said on the 1 December 2010
[...] back down in the face of the animal lover lobby, too? Less than two weeks after an online and social media campaign compelled John Lewis to change the end of a TV advert that had dog-lovers up in arms, now the same [...]
CovertJellyfish
Said on the 12 December 2010
The dog is the least of my worries. Though I would never support cruelty to animals, I think there are three main things that worry me more.
1) the guy climbing loft ladders with his hands full and no one securing them. (Not that I really care if him or anyone stupid enough to copy him is discovered lying dead by his kid just before christmas)
2) The guy doing a “cricketeers wank @ 0.34 secs…..
3) Who in the hell wraps presents in the Library???
4) The way that guy is wrapping the candlesstick… we all know it’s going to end up looking like some wierd sex toy under the tree….
CovertJellyfish
Said on the 12 December 2010
Of course you’ll have to decide amongst yourselves which three are the most concerning…. Why not have a vote???
squeezy
Said on the 12 December 2010
RELAX everyone, the dog in the kennel lives with the Dingles, I saw him on emmerdale the other day!
Headstream – the social brand agency » Blog Archive » Hamleys feels the force of social
Said on the 21 December 2010
[...] back down in the face of the animal lover lobby, too? Less than two weeks after an online and social media campaign compelled John Lewis to change the end of a TV advert that had dog-lovers up in arms, now the same [...]
Sproutman
Said on the 13 January 2011
You clearly know the score on here when it comes to bad ads.
I need people like you to have a look at this:
http://badadgraveyard.blogspot.com
your comments would be greatly appreciated
Hamleys feels the force of social | Headstream Consulting
Said on the 8 February 2011
[...] back down in the face of the animal lover lobby, too? Less than two weeks after an online and social media campaign compelled John Lewis to change the end of a TV advert that had dog-lovers up in arms, now the same [...]
Matt
Said on the 11 February 2011
Have to agree, on my website forum its also proved unpopular. We seem to have a real mix in the UK of pure genius ads and absolute diar ads. This one is the latter!
Jason Holloway
Said on the 13 February 2011
You guys gave us the Beatles and David Ogilvy! We kept Ogilvy.
Chris
Said on the 25 April 2011
I would pretend to be offended by nearly anything to keep that godawful, sickening advert off the screen.
T
Said on the 25 April 2011
The one that hasn’t been shown for over four months?
squeezy
Said on the 24 May 2011
man why wont it let me post comments on the nominations page?