Christmas Ad Causes Controversy
From families decorating the tree to children constructing the perfect snowman, the Christmas season brings with it a plethora of holiday ads. One thing you might not expect to see flash across your television this December, however, is trench warfare. Opting for a deeper message rather than a superficial one, Sainbury’s grocery chain chose this very backdrop for its own Christmas advertisement.
Rooted in historical fact, Sainbury’s commercial uses the Christmas Truce of 1914 as its backdrop to depict the feelings of goodwill and compassion that this time of year often evokes. Starting on December 24, 1914, the Christmas Truce took place along the western front after encouragement from Pope Benedict XV for a religious ceasefire in honor of the holiday. Though no country decided to formally enter into an agreement, British and German soldiers eventually merged their respective Christmas celebrations to exchange greetings, carols, small gifts, and a friendly game of soccer.
As with all creative decisions, responses to the advertisement were not entirely positive. Since its release, the commercial has been the subject of over two hundred and forty complaints filed to the Advertising Standard Authority. These criticisms disapprove of what they describe as using a platform of death and destruction to propel Sainsbury’s brand. Opponents further state that it is disrespectful to the fallen soldiers of World War I to tell their Christmas story in a manner constructed to make a profit.
However, I personally feel that these critics are missing the point of the ad. All can agree, marketing ploy or not, that the overall message conveyed in the ad is that Christmas is a season of sharing. Through both the actual occurrences on December 25, 1914 and the commercial itself, Sainsbury attempts to convey that the Christmas season transcends all languages, races, and nationalities. It is simply a time in which we can actually focus on our similarities and not dwell on our differences. I feel this commercial far exceeds the impact of any other December advertisement I have ever seen as it not only carries a positive holiday message, but also encourages us to foster the Christmas spirit every day of the year.
Check out the ad for yourself (featured above) and let your own opinion be heard in the poll below.
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