// John Lewis’ new Home Insurance advert has faced backlash, branded as awful and sexist
// The retailer said it has carried out customer research on the advert prior to its launch and it was well received
While Brits eagerly await for the highly anticipated John Lewis Christmas advert, the retailer has released a brand new campaign on social media and TVs across the UK.
The retailer’s new Home Insurance advert shows a young boy dancing around his home to a Stevie Nicks soundtrack, with a gleeful look on his face while dressed up in his mother’s clothes, heels and make-up.
Despite the advert intending to be a feelgood clip, it hasn’t gone down well with many shoppers.
READ MORE: John Lewis Partnership announces new science-based targets
Following its release, many have accused the retailer of ‘sexism’, as one shopper said: “The John Lewis advert of a young boy being the centre of attention for trashing everything while his sister obediently sits and paints in a corner is sexism encapsulated in sixty seconds.”
John Lewis said that a young girl featured in the Tiny Dancer home insurance advert in 2015, so this time the retailer decided to choose a young male actor for the advert.
https://youtu.be/5od8Wuv_AAY
Another viewer of the ad said: “The sexism and sometimes violence that seeps into relationships between sisters and brothers – encouraged by adults who indulge boys while demanding meekness from girls – isn’t discussed enough. I’d hope at least that stupid John Lewis advert can be a starting point.”
“I just caught up with it after seeing all the Tweets. It’s just awful. If my child behaved like that I would be so disappointed with how selfish and inconsiderate they were being. Its just needless destruction, expecting the woman and the girl to sit in meek compliance,” tweeted a third.
Alongside the concerns, many shoppers were worried that the damage depicted in the advert would not be covered under John Lewis’ home insurance policy.
A spokesperson for John Lewis told Manchester Evening News: “Our advert is a dramatic, fictional story showing our main character getting carried away and dancing to his favourite song – unaware of the unintentional consequences of his actions and does not show wilful damage.
“If customers have Accidental Damage Cover with our Home Insurance, this would cover a range of major and minor home disasters – which includes unintentional breakages caused by children in the family.
“We carried out customer research on the advert prior to its launch and this was well received.”
Click here to sign up to Retail Gazette’s free daily email newsletter
