RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted November 16, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 16, 2014 Hi all Watched this this morning Theres a link to it in the following Daily Mail page if you haven't seen it http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2834465/Watchdog-primed-investigate-Sainsbury-s-Christmas-advert-complaints-flood-use-WWI-imagery-promote-company.html Is it really a problem? Having consulted the British Legion and no doubt supporting a worthy charity this seems to me a very moving sequence which has not gone OTT commercially. Far more in the spirit of Xmas that other celebrity based campaigns and feels like a true reminder of how the Xmas spirit triumphed in desperate times 100 years ago. Or am I just a sentimentalist? Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold grandadbob Posted November 16, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 16, 2014 Couldn't agree more Phil. I would have thought that the first people to complain about any bad taste etc would be The British Legion and they clearly are quite happy with it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nelson Jackson Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 What a touching advert, it's wonderful and I don't see anything wrong with it, the behind the scenes video is very good as well, putting across their point of the advert. I've linked all the vids below I anyone is interested in watching them all. The Advert, Behind the scenes, Story behind the Christmas ad, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted November 16, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 16, 2014 I think it's an excellent ad - catching the spirit of the time/anniversary beautifully and with very good representation of the trench lines etc as they were at that time (the British trench is probably a bit too good but so what). I'm sorry but folk criticising this sort of thing haven't really got a clue about what was what and what was happening and why - they should look carefully at the real history before chucking brickbats. The interesting thing is to compare it to contemporaneous advertising from the period of the Great War such as one (artist drawn) scene where most of the crew of a field gun are liking around dead or wounded and in the foreground of the picture there is a brightly coloured tin of biscuits advertising the maker of them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edcayton Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 That ad brought a tear to my eye. If only we can stop it happening again. Ed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 From the Daily Fail... "The controversial advert has so far divided opinion - being branded both 'cynical' and 'wonderful' - and one expert has even claimed watching the clip left him feeling 'unclean' and 'upset'..." He'll be shopping at Tesco this year then... Honestly, I don't see what all the fuss is about. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 By coincidence my daughter just asked me to watch the Sainsbury's ad because she was interested in my opinion on it. I confess I had heard about the content, but as someone soft enough to be blown away by the unashamedly mawkish John Lewis one last week, I had avoided this one. It clearly employs judicious historic licence in the storyboard, but it works on a gut level for sure. It is obviously positive for all concerned that a percentage of Sainsbury's Christmas profits are donated to a relevant good cause, but as it stands it works as a Blackadder Goes Forth style reminder of human warmth among war's horrid futility and inhumanity. And it made me cry again. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
raymw Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 I wonder what the comments would be if Aldi had produced a similar ad? It's all about the money. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 My comments would be exactly the same unless it was an unrelated nation cashing-in. Lidl and Aldi are both agents in a free-market, profit-chasing Western Society. Had this been their campaign why would I feel any different? If it was a Werthers Original or Toyota Yaris advert, then I would have a problem. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny777 Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 My understanding of the 1914 Christmas activities, is that when they heard of them, the Generals on both sides of the conflict were strongly against such spontaneous acts of human kindness - and issued instructions that they *should not* be repeated in subsequent years. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted November 16, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 16, 2014 My understanding of the 1914 Christmas activities, is that when they heard of them, the Generals on both sides of the conflict were strongly against such spontaneous acts of human kindness - and issued instructions that they *should not* be repeated in subsequent years. The Generals' reaction was nothing to do with human kindness and far more concerned with 'fighting spirit' and the lack of interest someone might have in shooting somebody they had been shaking hands with only a few days earlier. The nature of warfare was rapidly changing from the way it had been viewed, and carried on, in the past in Europe and there was probably still considerable concern at the higher echelons of the military as to the way in which this new kind of static war could be, or should be, fought. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 One of the finest Christmas adverts ever. If the ad was created any other year then I could possibly understand some of the criticism however, 2014 marks the 100th anniversary of this actual event and Sainsbury's should be applauded. The special chocolate bar is very nice (I have bought 3 so far!) and with 50p from each going to the RBL is a great idea. After spending the last 13 years at war in Iraq and Afghanistan I do not believe the British public need any further reminders of how horrific war is. Sadly the soldiers on all sides took up their arms after Christmas 1914 and the slaughter continued for another four years. Merry Christmas Paddy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rumblestripe Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 The Generals' reaction was nothing to do with human kindness and far more concerned with 'fighting spirit' and the lack of interest someone might have in shooting somebody they had been shaking hands with only a few days earlier. Oh probably, but that does not excuse it. I have always felt that if the leaders who took the world into this war (in particular) had been prepared to slug it out "mano a mano" rather than spend the blood of their citizenry's youth so extravagantly we might not be buying poppies at all. Just imagine the General's horror at both sides just shaking hands and saying "Go home Hans" and "Go home Tommy"... and they just did. An end to war. Peace on Earth. So what if Sainsburys flog a few more bars of chocolate on the back of it? Making people think about war has to be worth a bar of chocolate or two? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieB Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 The Generals' reaction was nothing to do with human kindness and far more concerned with 'fighting spirit' and the lack of interest someone might have in shooting somebody they had been shaking hands with only a few days earlier. The nature of warfare was rapidly changing from the way it had been viewed, and carried on, in the past in Europe and there was probably still considerable concern at the higher echelons of the military as to the way in which this new kind of static war could be, or should be, fought. Sorry Mike, I can't agree. There were just too many examples during the conflicts of the nineteenth century that demonstrated the futility of charging against a well-entrenched or well-defended enemy position. There was no justification for the needless sacrifice and slaughter (on both sides) that arose from blindly following outdated military manuals. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butler Henderson Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 Advert for Sainsburys it is but it does have a RBL caption at the end and presumably was done in full agreement with them. It hardly blantent advertising as it might be with product placements all over the place, christ pud for the football etc. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Dickerson Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 So what if Sainsburys flog a few more bars of chocolate on the back of it? Making people think about war has to be worth a bar of chocolate or two? I'd like to thank them for the advert - look forward to the 1915 sequel, complete with courts martial - and will therefore be taking my trade... ,,,anywhere else. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted November 16, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 16, 2014 Watch the two documentaries that go with it above it explains the association with RBL. All the profit is going to RBL, you don't even need to go to Sainsburys to buy the bar to donate to them if the thought of possibly buying other shopping from them. I donate direct to RBL as part of the Poppy appeal and always buy my poppy from the same place each year and might well buy a choccy bar when I next wander past a shop. Is it actually wrong for a big company to try and have a moral conscience amongst making money? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackRat Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 In. The last year or so, discovered two Great Uncles, both of whom We're killed in the great war. I think the advert is excellent, and I'd rather like to think that they would find it so as well. And the profit goes to the RBL. Some people like to find fault, whinge, whine, grizzle and moan at any opportunity here's always fault, if you really look hard enough in anything. Edit......I've bought a load, for stocking fillers etc and am glad to have done so. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold tarifa Posted November 16, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 16, 2014 Terrific advert, the message I read is make peace not war. I have always thought that the Generals should have been tried for crimes against humanity in send all of those young men to their grave and all for nothing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Dickerson Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 I donate direct to RBL as part of the Poppy appeal and always buy my poppy from the same place each year and might well buy a choccy bar when I next wander past a shop. Is it actually wrong for a big company to try and have a moral conscience amongst making money? As do I. But in my opinion, they've crossed the line. There's a difference between "20th Century Fox" up at the front and this. Your Mileage May Vary, as the abbreviation goes. And ultimately, that I can say that is the point. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted November 16, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 16, 2014 Sorry Mark but your point eludes me. Each is entitled to their opinion so I'm happy for you to shop elsewhere but for me it honours the ordinary soldier proving they could rise above the politics and replaces what they could have done, another saccharine Xmas advert, with something more meaningful. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Dickerson Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 It's the difference between: "Royal British Legion......................[and a bit more]........sponsored by Sainbury's" ...and what it actually does [at the end]. Why the prominence for their slogan and logo? To me it's a fundamental difference, and it's different from a film production company making money ; in an ideal world perhaps this should have been the only Christmas supermarket advert, but there you go. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steadfast Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 I'm probably the last person in our store to see it! Just watched it on the post above, I can see what all the hype is about now and why everyone was pointing at the stand in store and going "look it's the chocolate bar". Personally I thought it was quite impressive and thought provoking, not forcing products in your face, and the British Legion logo at the end was a nice touch but I can equally understand why people are sceptical about using war to sell products. Compare it to one of the 'product based' adverts, eg mince pie one that's on at the moment, and it's a very different tone, further illustrated by the fact there's no nasty slogan at the end or buy X,Y or Z this Christmas. Each to their own I guess, but no where near as naff as I expected and certainly thought provoking. Good to highlight a charity link that a lot of people probably don't even realise exists jo Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Dickerson Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 It's all maybe academic anyway, as here comes Band Aid 2... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
antrobuscp Posted November 16, 2014 Share Posted November 16, 2014 Anyone interested in WWI Christmas might also find Michael Foreman's book "War Game" of interest. Also, his "War Boy" which is used in schools as a teaching resourse. These are primarily illustrated books for children. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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