[TV] The new Sainsbury's Christmas ad

[banjo]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NWF2JBb1bvM

Causing a bit of controversy ? Over to NSC.

 

[Tooting Gull]

I largely agree with this take from the Guardian. Great bit of film-making, but seems inappropriate as a tool to fuel a supermarket Christmas sales war

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/nov/13/sainsburys-christmas-ad-first-world-war

 

[Normal Rob]

Personally i dont have a problem with it. If it makes money for the British legion then fair play. Yes there is slightly dubious brand association from Sainsburys, but it's one of those instances where if you really want to find something to get angry about then you will. I don' think it's worth getting flustered about.

 

[Stoo82]

I think its brilliant. Would be slightly odd if it was done 4 years ago for example. The story which is being said, happened 100 years ago this Christmas. Not next Christmas, not last Christmas, this Christmas.

Whats the problem with it!?

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Stands up as a film in its own right I'd suggest. Saw it at the cinema yesterday and it was well received. A few guffaws when the Sainsburys association was revealed at the end, has to be said, but if the net result is a sizeable donation to the British Legion, then fair play. Certainly beats the shit out of John Lewis's crappy penguin ad, on every level.

 

[Easy 10]

Considering they'd been living in squalor in a muddy trench for months, I was quite surprised at how immaculately turned out they were for this game. Fair play to them for that.

 

[Grombleton]

I like it (and not because i'm contractually bound to). I do agree that it is a curious connection between the atrocities of War and a supermarket (the...retail war?) but it was refreshing to see that it was a) well researched and b) not just a sales tactic, but the British Legion benefits (i believe) at least from the exposure from it.

There's more important and bigger things to get angry about in this world.

 

[User removed 4]

Stands up as a film in its own right I'd suggest. Saw it at the cinema yesterday and it was well received. A few guffaws when the Sainsburys association was revealed at the end, has to be said, but if the net result is a sizeable donation to the British Legion, then fair play. Certainly beats the shit out of John Lewis's crappy penguin ad, on every level.

3rd agreement in less than a week !!

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

3rd agreement in less than a week !!

This has GOT to stop

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I bet we lost on penalties.

 

[Easy 10]

Not sure I'm overly comfortable with using tales from the WWI trenches to flog groceries to us, considering the young men portrayed in this rather saccharine, airbrushed portrayal were probably lying dead in the mud a few days later. But if it helps Sainsburys win the supermarket wars this Christmas then I suppose they'll consider it job done.

 

[Biscuit Barrel]

I like the add/short film. The only mention of Sainsbury's is right at the end. I can't help but think that we could have just played football for 4 years instead of killing each other.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Not sure I'm overly comfortable with using tales from the WWI trenches to flog groceries to us, considering the young men portrayed in this rather saccharine, airbrushed portrayal were probably lying dead in the mud a few days later. But if it helps Sainsburys win the supermarket wars this Christmas then I suppose they'll consider it job done.

Doubt it's going to sell Sainsburys THAT many extra Xmas groceries tbh, even with the obligatory media storm. But if it forces John Lewis to have a word with themselves then it'll all have been worthwhile. For what its worth, I'm quite fond also of the Waitrose Xmas ad where the shy young schoolgirl is coaxed out of her shell by being put in charge of the gingerbread stall.



Hell yes, I'm even grateful for Peter Andre in the Iceland ads, if only because it saves us from that fat worthless cow Kerry Katona.

 

[vegster]

Considering they'd been living in squalor in a muddy trench for months, I was quite surprised at how immaculately turned out they were for this game. Fair play to them for that.

The continuity was pretty poor, there were about 6 rows of barbed wire shown between the trenches which magically disappeared to make way for a clearing of pretty good quality for a kickaround. Other than that, it's a prickly subject matter TBH and reminds me of when ITV used to to do it's telethon with a money shot of a big donation cheque with the company advertised on it. I mean, did Sainsbury's even make their own brand chocolate in 1914 ?

Overall I think it is a bad move but any publicity is publicity so Sainsbury's will probably tough it out.

 

[Monkey Man]

They're trying to sell you stuff.

That's it.

Nothing wrong with that per se but I refuse to be "moved" by a retailer appropriating WWI or deploying cute penguins.

 

[Easy 10]

Doubt it's going to sell Sainsburys THAT many extra Xmas groceries tbh, even with the obligatory media storm. But if it forces John Lewis to have a word with themselves then it'll all have been worthwhile.

Which begs the question, if they didn't think they were going to flog a few extra christmas puds, deodorant gift sets and frozen prawn vol-au-vents off the back of their glossy, sentimental WWI trench warfare ad, then why bother in the first place ?

I think some subjects are probably best left alone with it comes to the usual Xmas consumerism frenzy, but I guess when it comes to selling stuff, anything goes. Whats next - Argos giving us a soft-focus Hiroshima montage in homage to the release of their "Autumn-Nuclear-Winter" catalogue ?

 

[Normal Rob]

Which begs the question, if they didn't think they were going to flog a few extra christmas puds, deodorant gift sets and frozen prawn vol-au-vents off the back of their glossy, sentimental WWI trench warfare ad, then why bother in the first place ?QUOTE]

perceieved positive brand association through a charitable act i would imagine.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Which begs the question, if they didn't think they were going to flog a few extra christmas puds, deodorant gift sets and frozen prawn vol-au-vents off the back of their glossy, sentimental WWI trench warfare ad, then why bother in the first place ?

Aiming for the Tower of London poppy-bothering demographic maybe

 

[Easy 10]

The continuity was pretty poor, there were about 6 rows of barbed wire shown between the trenches which magically disappeared to make way for a clearing of pretty good quality for a kickaround. Other than that, it's a prickly subject matter TBH and reminds me of when ITV used to to do it's telethon with a money shot of a big donation cheque with the company advertised on it. I mean, did Sainsbury's even make their own brand chocolate in 1914 ?

Overall I think it is a bad move but any publicity is publicity so Sainsbury's will probably tough it out.

Exactly. As has been alluded to, there's no such thing as bad publicity. Like I said, job done.

I don't even watch ads (I'm a notorious flicker with the remote), so the fact I've already seen this dross from start to end, and am actually engaging in conversation and debate about it, means they've already won anyway.

*sigh*

 

[Marshy]

Sign them up