Sainsbury’s Christmas tv add 2014

[2poofsandMum]

well just watched the add on the train into work this morning and no i did not cry ( was a total crying mess for about 20 min)

 

 

they really hit home with this Christmas add and win hands down the Christmas tv add battle 

 

 

see what you lot think

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWF2JBb1bvM&feature=player_detailpage

 

 

xxx

[Paul]

I think it's way to early for Christmas ads!

[2poofsandMum]

its far from your typical Christmas ads,

[LondonRascal]

Short answer: 

 

I like it, it is different and will be like Marmite, people will either love it or hate it but at least it is not Christmas cliché’s of snow, happy families and Christmas trees. 

 

Long answer:

 

Your be pleased to know I’ve decided to not give an essay of reply

[MauriceMynah]

I've just watched it and this is my immediate reaction

 

Moving? Yes very.

Poignant? Again, yes very.

Appropriate for a Christmas supermarket commercial ?  Ahhh, not so sure there. 

 

It depends on how often they show it, and when, but it's not something I would want to see every half hour or so in the middle of the evenings entertainment.

 

There is a risk that this ad will, in a strange way, sort of "cheapen" the emotions and thoughts that people have been having this year. Don't forget, the reason for this ad is to get you to do your weekly shop at Sainsburys.

 

As I say, Appropriate? Not so sure.

[Polly]

Hmmm, I really don't know. If it's a tribute, then OK, if it's meant to get us shopping there, and it is an advert after all, then, no.

Grandad was there and the bit they never mention is that they were forced back into fighting afterwards. You'd be shot for cowardice if you didn't go over the top.

[2poofsandMum]

I've just watched it and this is my immediate reaction

 

Moving? Yes very.

Poignant? Again, yes very.

Appropriate for a Christmas supermarket commercial ?  Ahhh, not so sure there. 

 

It depends on how often they show it, and when, but it's not something I would want to see every half hour or so in the middle of the evenings entertainment.

 

There is a risk that this ad will, in a strange way, sort of "cheapen" the emotions and thoughts that people have been having this year. Don't forget, the reason for this ad is to get you to do your weekly shop at Sainsburys.

 

As I say, Appropriate? Not so sure.

 

I do kind of agree with you, though i think Sainsbury’s can carry it as they are big supporters of the British royal legion,

 

In an ideal world everyone in the uk will get that bar of chocolate as a Christmas gift that way helping to rise even more money.

[Baitrunner]

I had to think long and hard before replying to this and I view myself as a very liberal thinker and everyone is entitled to an opinion.

 

My personal opinion is Sainsbury's should have thought a lot longer and harder about using this as a topic for a Christmas Ad. 

 

Yes it's very poignant and very topical, but using war to sell groceries at Christmas - out of order.

 

There are plenty of comments on the "Lest we forget" post so I wont add to those.

 

Every year there are arguments about armistice day with most people missing the point (IMHO). This year we had footballers refusing to wear the poppy on their shirt (they had their opinions as to why which is personal choice) and I wonder how many people might avoid Sainsbury's now just because of this advert? Surely the point of an advert is to make us want to buy their products which I don't think this does.

 

A company that is not doing so well should probably best not court controversy. Guess we will have to see if it makes a difference to their profits?

 

By the way the M&S advert is rubbish (IMHO)

[littlesprite]

With it being exactly 100 years since this event happened I find it a very nice tribute, you should also remember this was done in partnership with the British Legion.

What better message is there for Christmas than showing mans humanity in the face of world hostility, profit, yes of course there is always profit, that's what pays taxes and so ultimately welfare benefits, NHS treatment and all the rest.

I think this is one occasion when trying to over analyse the advert is the wrong thing to do, just except it for what it is, the true meaning and spirit of Christmas.  

[Baitrunner]

As I said Martin, we all have our own opinions. 

[watershed]

Where were Ant and Dec? Sorry,wrong supermarket!

[Arthur]

Maybe my opinions on this will not be shared by others but personally I find this advert in extremely bad taste.

 

Using the anniversary of the beginning of one of the most tragic events of the last century in an attempt to boost Christmas Sales.

 

The famous unofficial truce of Christmas 1914 is well documented in history and illustrated the reality that most soldiers on both sides of the conflict were human beings.  With thoughts for their fellow man and no doubt a desperate hope that they may survive the horrors of the trenches and see their families again.

 

One must also remember that this was not just a brief period of peace in which men spent all their time exchanging Christmas Cheer.

 

Much of this short respite was used as an opportunity for men from both sides to remove and bury the bodies of their comrades who had fallen in No Mans Land and until then had no chance of being recovered.

 

 

You can see from my comments on the other thread that I have genuine feelings of admiration for the courage and sacrifices of our armed forces.

 

This year 2014 marks 100 years since the start of The Great War.   The start.  Not the end.

 

The only people who can even comprehend the horror are those who were actually there.  We cannot even begin to understand what they went through.

 

I have no objection to teaching those of today about these tragic events.

 

I had the strange experience of going through the education system in this country and none of the wars even featuring in History lessons.    They were even missing from the text books.

 

Educating people sensibly about these events is once thing.   Turning this anniversary into some sort of circus is another.

 

 

We already have theme parks with rides based on the Titanic Disaster,  (hundreds of lives lost but that does not seem to matter if there are a few dollars  to be made)

 

How long before we see similar things happening based on WW1.

 

Maybe it is my age that makes me more sensitive to some of these things but I am not ashamed of that.

 

There is much more I could say but I will not.

 

As had already been said we all have our own opinions.

[diesel falcon]

Athur, totally agree an overpaid know it all sliverspooned idiot thought that one up,bad taste dosn,t do it justice not many things raise my eybrows....but this did!!

[Arthur]

"an overpaid know it all sliver spooned idiot"

 

 

I think more likely this is a corporate effort jumping on the bandwagon as a result of the WW1 media attention.

 

 

 

I had made my views known and did not really intend to add any more.

 

 

However, something occurred this morning which had prompted me to write further. Although not directly related to the original post.

 

 

I heard someone on the radio this morning making the comment that young people of today do not really care about The Great War and events of 100 years ago.

 

What an insulting comment!

 

Several years ago I contacted local radio after hearing a teacher make a similar comment.   On this occasion the discussion on air was about a proposal to organize a school visit to the WW1 Battlefields and the suggestion that this would just be a jolly and the pupils would not treat it with proper respect

 

I had experience of something that had happened to me which i thought might make them think again..

 

The response from Local Radio was to allow me to tell the story myself.  I hope it made some of the doubters take a different view of our young people.

 

I have never forgotten the incident but I have not spoken of it since it was broadcast a few years ago.

 

I think it poignant to repeat the gist of it here.

 

 

Some 30 years ago I drove coaches.

 

I must admit that school trips were not my favourite groups of passengers as they were often rowdy and poorly supervised.

 

On this occasion I was transporting a group of secondary school pupils 15/16 year olds on a school trip on the continent.  They were one of the worst school parities that I had ever had on board.

 

We had already visited a number of historic places and as often happened on school trips the teachers just disappeared and left the young people to occupy themselves until the time for them to return to the coach.and another rowdy journey back to base.

 

Anyway I will get to the point.

 

Toward the end of the trip my detail was to take the group to the Dud Corner Cemetery and the Loos Memorial.

 

Now I felt this was a totally inappropriate place to take this particular group as I felt they would upset other visitors to this site.  It was not a day I was looking forward to.

 

On the journey there their behaviour was as bad a usual and they disembarked the coach like a rugby scrum and were soon out of sight.

 

It was what happened over an hour later that was to change my view of young people.

 

This same group of rowdy teenagers came back to the coach in total silence.  Some of them seemed totally overcome with emotion and were unable to hold back the tears.  Boys as well as girls.  

 

Maybe it was the atmosphere of that place or maybe it was these young people suddenly realising that all these ranks of gravestones and all the names on the memorial represented young men not much older than themselves who had died so young.

 

I do not know.

 

However, when you have seen tough teenagers reduced to tears  like this you soon change your view of young people.

 

Maybe I have gone of the topic of the thread a bit here but I felt it right to tell of this again.

 

I still feel it is very important that our young people are told of the realities of these events.  However it must be done in the right way.

 

Young people are eager to learn, especially at primary school age.

 

It just needs our education system to answer that quest for knowledge.

 

 

With regard to the advertisement I stand by my original thoughts about it.

[2poofsandMum]

well I think the advert will, divide people one side or other,  though think it a little unfair on Sainsbury’s to label them as jumping on the bandwagon they  have been supporters of the Royal British Legion  for 20 years, and this advert was made in conjunction with them.

 

Also if does prompt kids/ adults to ask questions or find out more then that can only be a good thing.

 

 

One final point I do not work for Sainsbury’s or any company associated with it, what I do is total evil a mortgage broker in the city lol

[JawsOrca]

I watched it and it brought a smile then a tear..

 

I'd forgotten about the truce.. the story of the truce clearly shows the better side of humanity, the innocence of the poor situation that all the lads were in on both sides.

 

Should it be a "commercial", hell no of course not however it's a good reminder.. If the RBL could have done it themselves then would have better (but then that's certainly not the best use of donations)..or if the RBL logo was used instead and perhaps a sponsored by sainsburys that would have been much wiser.  I personally don't see a commercial there, I do see it as an attempt to get a reminder over and help a well worthy charity.

 

I think as time goes on, generations get older and these nasty times soon become distant memories (and as our stupid government still send people to war) the more we do to remember and the more we do to keep the discussion going the more chances we have to ensure the world doesn't fall back into war and all those who put their lives on the line (or were forced into fighting) for our freedom were so sadly worth something.

 

(Needless to say I hope I haven't caused any offence to anyone)

[Baitrunner]

As we went off course a bit I thought why not go in another direction.

 

I think ALL kids everywhere should visit the Jewish war memorial in Berlin and Auschwitz. And I am sure there are plenty of other similar locations that have the same effect.

 

I am not into these type of things, but we visited them on a couple of city tours and you can come out without crying you have to be hard as nails. Thinking about it now puts a tear in my eye.

 

As I said, a bit off course, but as Arthur says sometimes a reminder of these things shows the reality of human evil, war and death - not like "Call of Duty" etc where nothing is real.

 

As before no offence meant to anyone by this post. 

[Arthur]

"I think ALL kids everywhere should visit the Jewish war memorial in Berlin and Auschwitz. And I am sure there are plenty of other similar locations that have the same effect."

 

 

I agree with you Baitrunner, there are many places that you have to be pretty indifferent not to be affected by.

 

The place that has a big emotional impact on me is not a War Cemetery it is a memorial garden in a village in South Wales.     A memorial to those lost in a terrible disaster.

 

I have personal reasons for this which I do not wish to talk about but I visit when I can to honour a promise I made to someone nearly 50 years ago.

 

 

Each of us have our own thoughts. and memories.   Some can be discussed, some can only ever be private.

 

My family was lucky.    Those who served returned.  Many others did not.

 

I don't think I shall add further comment on this thread but please understand that I have taken no offense at any comments made by others.

 

We all have our own views and thank God we are allowed the freedom to express them.

 

 

Arthur