Marks & Spencer Christmas advert taken down

[bluenova]

Advertising is not a hidden agenda. It is a big business.

It is of course totally believable that it was an honest faux pas, done poorly but in good faith, and they then reacted appropriately to twitter responses by removing the post (note not the advert) quickly and issuing a statement. Obviously, that's the default.

I also find it equally believable that a company that spends at least couple of million pounds (based on previous years) on their biggest targeted advertising campaign for their biggest sales of the year, analyses every possible outcome of said camapign.

And that people whose job it is to do so, might have flagged that image, in the context of, if nothing else, daily public marches with those flags right across the UK. That everyone involved failed to notice it, I find borderline unbelievable.

I can believe that they would have assessed the risks, and been ok with issuing it on social media where it can be removed, while not featuring it in the actual video, accepting the limited fallout, and with it the consequential vast exposure.

That's just a take, the same as any other btw.

I find it a stretch, that one of the most traditional retailers in the country, who are already a target for anti-Israeli boycotts (mostly because of their founders, and because they still import from Israel), would take such a risk at the most important time of the year for sales.

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

Those brave souls who fought and died in world wars would probably have fucked off and gone AWOL had they known that their sacrifices would end up with a country full of soft arse, gobshites cryarsing over a tv advert!! Haha! Jesus wept.

Was genuinely thinking the same myself when I typed it!

 

[homerdog]

That's just a take, the same as any other btw.

Albeit a pretty ridiculous one.

 

[Coatigan]

I find it a stretch, that one of the most traditional retailers in the country, who are already a target for anti-Israeli boycotts (mostly because of their founders, and because they still import from Israel), would take such a risk at the most important time of the year for sales.

Fair enough. Valid point. They are certainly going to be appealing to the traditional customer base in the short term with it, but what that is long term, who knows. The advert is trending though, and has reached people it never would have reached otherwise.

Albeit a pretty ridiculous one.

Perhaps. On an all round ridiculous thread. I can live with that.

 

[Metal Biker]

I think they took it out before releasing it to the general public, it was an outtake or trailer type thing that they were 'tempting' folk with as I understood it. I saw it because I am on their mailing list but didn't think anything of it. But then I only recognise certain flags/colours e.g. red/white/blue for us and green for Ireland, three stripes whose colours I can never remember for France and White with a Maple leaf for Canada..... I'm so ignorant. :-)

You should see Nepal's flag

 

[Mr Kobayashi]

In my opinion, yes. Some people just live to be offended. Serious question; who could take serious offence at that ad? Even the most staunch pro-Israeli person (without the "issue" being pointed out to them) surely wouldn't be upset at such an ad.

Not sure such people are "woke", probably more likely to be the opposite of what that word originally meant.

 

[bluenova]

Not sure such people are "woke", probably more likely to be the opposite of what that word originally meant.

I see where you're coming from, but I know a lot of left wing Jewish people in this country who are pro-Israel, and it very clearly doesn't mean they support the current Israeli government's actions.

 

[City Hobgoblin]

Then I think you're being deliberately provocative. There is clearly no link, let alone a tenuous one, so your post is mischievous.

Other people are being provocative about this. I'm saying people need to tone it down.

 

[Mr Kobayashi]

I see where you're coming from, but I know a lot of left wing Jewish people in this country who are pro-Israel, and it very clearly doesn't mean they support the current Israeli government's actions.

Would you describe them as staunchly pro-Israel?

It's also possible for "otherwise left-wing" people to have views that stand outside this.

 

[City Hobgoblin]

Advertising is not a hidden agenda. It is a big business.

It is of course totally believable that it was an honest faux pas, done poorly but in good faith, and they then reacted appropriately to twitter responses by removing the post (note not the advert) quickly and issuing a statement. Obviously, that's the default.

I also find it equally believable that a company that spends at least couple of million pounds (based on previous years) on their biggest targeted advertising campaign for their biggest sales of the year, analyses every possible outcome of said camapign.

And that people whose job it is to do so, might have flagged that image, in the context of, if nothing else, daily public marches with those flags right across the UK. That everyone involved failed to notice it, I find borderline unbelievable.

I can believe that they would have assessed the risks, and been ok with issuing it on social media where it can be removed, while not featuring it in the actual video, accepting the limited fallout, and with it the consequential vast exposure.

That's just a take, the same as any other btw.

I wasn't saying there WAS a hidden agenda. I was questioning the knee-jerk scepticism that seems engrained in some people that everything can be conspiracy-led, or have a hidden agenda or not be intended as it is presented.