Christmas Adverts

Littlewoods have created perhaps the most untraditional advert that completes destroys the notion of Father Christmas! The advert shows a musical production by children, singing about all the presents their mothers have purchased for Christmas. Are the days of telling children the story of Father Christmas gone?

The advert is bursting with materialistic values: “a HTC for Uncle Ken, my mother got a Fuji camera for Ken, my mother’s wicked”. The list goes on. It seems so wrong to portray that Christmas is all about getting lots of expensive presents.

The advert has caused much controversy; many parents have complained to the ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) as their children have been left distressed after being told that Father Christmas does not exist and it’s simply their mother’s buying all of the presents. Surely it is up to the parents to decide what they tell their children about Christmas? Fathers have also complained that the advert is completely sexist - also arguably true. Indeed, it is truly un-festive!

A slightly more agreeable advert is the one for John Lewis, reducing many people to tears. The ad stars young actor Lewis McGowan counting down the days until Christmas, with the viewer assuming it’s the usual childhood excitement for presents. However, when it comes to the big day he runs past his presents and instead is finally able to give his own gift to his parents.

The message? Giving is better than receiving. A much nicer idea, I expect many parents will now hope the message rubs off on their own kids!

Other shops decided to go for a different approach. Marks & Spencer features the ‘stars’ of X Factor (with quick editing to keep up with the change in contestants) singing “When You Wish upon a Star” and ends with the tagline “may all your Christmas dreams come true”. This is perhaps a little materialistic, suggesting the need to get “everything your heart desires”, as the song lyrics state. Although it is a festive advert the message being put across is not so traditional. However, maybe this is just what Christmas is about now.

Morrisons and Iceland’s approach to Christmas is, not surprisingly, about the food. Morrisons is more focused on getting all the good quality produce: “they’ll come for the fresh British turkey and the British beef”. The market featured in the advert has a festive feel to it but one can’t help but feel the focus is more on splashing out lots of cash on a great big Christmas dinner.

Iceland has a similar approach but feels a bit merrier as Stacey Solomon sings about she can’t “wait to see those faces “whilst driving home to Dagenham. There’s obviously a focus on all the food that we should buy from Iceland but the main thing seems to be the spirit and joy of spending Christmas with your family and friends.

Perhaps some of these companies such as Littlewoods are suggesting that this is the modern view of Christmas, that people are only interested in presents now. Perhaps that’s how we do view Christmas; we just don’t want to admit it! It just seems a shame to drop the traditional notions that make Christmas Christmassy.