John Lewis TV ad changed after Shropshire Facebook campaign
Thursday 18th November 2010, 1:00PM GMT.
Retail giant John Lewis is to change its Christmas advert showing a dog left out in the snow following a campaign by a Shropshire radio station.
Julie Hill, from DogCast Radio based in the Stretton Hills, created a Facebook group and an online petition after she saw the advert on TV last Sunday.
Within hours, more than 1,000 people had joined the group and more than 800 had signed the petition, which called for dogs to be inside with their owners at Christmas rather than outside in kennels.
And bosses at John Lewis said today they would be launching shorter versions of the advert this weekend with a different ending.
Louise Cooper, senior manager at John Lewis, said: “Our intention was to portray a poignant moment where the little boy shows affection for his dog by putting a stocking on his kennel.
“We purposely show a lovingly decorated kennel and the breed of dog was specifically chosen as one that is used to being outside some of the time. Rannoch is a well-loved pet and his owner is very happy with how he is portrayed. We also had a dog handler present at the shoot.”
Mrs Hill, who has been involved with the station for dog lovers which broadcasts over the internet twice a month, said the outcome was “absolutely brilliant”.
She added: “I have been saying we can have a strong, effective voice and speak up for animals. We’ve done what we set out to do.”
In the text of the petition on www.thepetitionsite.com, Mrs Hill said: “Dogs belong in the house with their people – not out in the snow in a ramshackle, doorless, bare kennel – even if it is adorned with fairy lights.”
By Hannah Costigan
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Well done The add made me angry too. There will already be far too many dogs out in the cold!!
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ARE YOU ONE OF THEM?
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For the people who are moaning about the avert, you really need to get out more and get a life, goodness sake its an advert,did you know they found a bomber on the moon, for all the “do” gooders they will believe that…….come on…
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These people should worry at dogs being destroyed and the over breeding of dogs for financial gain not a silly add they have now lost a dog a job of work so i hope he has kept a few pence of john lewises mony for christmas dinner as he is now signing on for jsa .
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Dogs have fur for goodness sake, they have been surviving for centuries before we invented central heating. Personaly I think its a shame John Lewis didn’t tell the pathetic do-gooders where to get off instead of becoming another company to pander to the lowest common idiots with nothing better to do with their time.
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Back then, they were called wolves. Centuries of domestication and selective breeding have eliminated that ability to survive outdoors.
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Silly. Just silly.
You all do realise the snow isn’t real, right?
Also, it’s clearly showing that they *EVEN* care about the dog. and it looks pretty relaxed about the situation.
Plus, what if the kennel had heating? a little warm lamp. You never know ;).
I do love this country sometimes….
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Daniel, you’re completely missing the point of the complaints. Sure, the dog is well treated by its owners and was well looked after during filming, that’s not even remotely the issue. The problem is that the John Lewis ad sells a lifestyle, and it’s a pretty grim one for dogs if it means being out in the snow in an exposed location with inadequate shelter. Shame on you John Lewis.
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Maybe Daniel you also would be relaxed, being alone in a heated kennel, surounded by fake snow…totally alone….
You really dont get it..eh?
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Oh I don’t know, sounds quite peaceful!!
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John Lewis has recently released this statement
I’m sorry that my response to you this morning did not address your concerns. I hope the following information will explain more clearly our position on the issues that you raised.
…As is required, the script and film were cleared for viewing by Clearcast, an independent specialist body responsible for ensuring there is no misrepresentation or suggestion of harm or ill treatment in the content of the advert. Contrary to misconceptions, he is not tied up but sitting freely.
The breed of dog in the advert was chosen specifically for the outdoor scene. It is essential that Deerhounds have access to the outdoors throughout the year, and indeed the breeders’ website explains that many hounds live outside all year round.
We are confident that there is no suggestion of harm or ill treatment in the advertisement. We can only apologise if you are not satisfied with the outcome; however the majority of our customers have given it an overwhelmingly positive response and the advert will continue to run until 18th December.
Thank you once more for making contact and sharing your views with us. I am sorry that you feel we have failed you, but please be assured that John Lewis has given careful consideration to the matter.
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Lot of old tosh from John Lewis
as a breeder/exhibitor and judge of Scottish Deerhounds I know of no one in the breed that would allow a hound to live in the conditions depicted in this advert
Even the eskimos shelter there huskys
Its a disgusting advert that gives out the wrong impression to any potentail dog owner, or owners who are cruel to there dogs its saying thats ok and it is not
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You are wrong. The Inuit (Eskimo is a derogatory term) when sledding with their dogs leave their animals out on the tundra with some hay bedding, food and water (not even close to the modern kennel in the advert). They – unlike the people behind this campaign – know about their animals and know that the dogs can survive.
Perhaps you should start a petition against yourself for passing on faulty information on a newspaper website????
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For goodness sake, it was an advert not real.
Obviously some people cannot distinguish between reality an a TV advert.
They will be asking for the Andrex puppy to clear up it’s mess next just in case someone trips over the loo roll!
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You are quite right, some people simply cannot distinguish between a TV Ad and reality. The reality is (perhaps you don’t know) that many people actually do leave their dogs outside during the winter. At this time of year, dog rescues are overwhelmed with folk ditching last Christmas’s “Andrex Puppy” presents, as they have grown up and needed walking, feeding etc.
The message here is that its OK to leave a dog outside in an unheated crumbling kennel, and its simply not acceptable for an organisation like JL who pride itself on its responsible attitude to animal welfare via Waitrose, to promulgate this view.
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Well said, Andrea,- that’s precisely the point!
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For goodness sake, it is an advert. It should not be taken literally or be percieved to be condoning the idea that dogs should be outside.
Some people in this country of ours have too much time on their hands.
By the way……….
“Merry Christmas”
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They haven’t changed the advert as a direct result of this ‘radio station’ campaign, have they, really?
The “shorter version with a different ending” would have been made at the same time. And the advertising slots booked weeks ago.
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The objections were not about the dog in the ad who has a great life in reality. We are objecting to the message of the ad which is that it’s okay to keep a dog in an inadequate shelter – it’s not!
It’s far from clear that they care for the dog – dog’s don’t actually care about fairy lights or stockings. What they want is to be with their family; their pack.
Yes this country is wonderful – full of animal lovers!
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lol!
the message is come and buy from John Lewis at Christmas not leave a dog out in the cold.
What has the world come too? Have we all gone mad, taking every little thing in an advert as that is what everyone will do??
and we wonder where the culture of suing for tripping up in reception comes from???
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Unfortunately some people are unable to differentiate between fantasy and reality, and spend their lives looking for chips to place on their own shoulders.
I’m sure there will be many human beings, children and the elderly included, living in inadequate shelter this Christmas. Yet people have the time to look for hidden messages in a harmless advert.
Astonishing…
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Its disgusting to see what people will do for cheap publicity! If you really cared about dogs you would be too busy trying to help the large number of animals being abused and suffering out on the streets and in shelters all over the country. Not making a spectacle by banning an ad which is touching and beautiful!
Get a real issue to fight for! Don’t use these wonderful creatures for your publicity stunts!
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If you own a dog and you’re going out, make sure you leave your central heating on and preferably ramp it up to at least 22C. You don’t want your dog to get cold in your house while you’re out, do you?
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Your cruel …. Only 22c my god they will freeze turn it up to atleast 26c
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Daniel you don’t get it. Nobody is worrying about the dog actor – obviously he is OK, it’s the message the ad gives out – that it’s OK for dogs to live out in very inadequate shelter, and, most importantly, dogs are pack animals – they need to be IN the home with their family. Lots of people BELIEVE ads!!!
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I cannot believe the U.K is becoming such a nanny state.
The TV campaign shows a dry Dog in a Kennel with fairy lights all over it. A young boy in wellies walks through the snow to hang a stocking full of gifts on the kennel.
Did it show a shivering Dog with no shelter ?
Did the Child walk out & tease the Dog?
Was the Dog thrown the Turkey carcass ?
Is the Dog in a rescue waiting to be PTS ?
Is the Dog locked in an empty house ?
& the strap line…..
For those who care about showing they care !!!!
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There are so many wonderful people who have faught so hard to change the way people treat their dogs. And having an ad that glorifies chaining a dog up does not help the cause.
Chaining dogs up is abuse . It is cruel.
Please do not advertise that it is ok to chain a dog . Please consider changing your ad.
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So what about farmer’s working dogs who are chained up next to a kennel – would you rather have them come chasing you whilst you are out cycling, or bite your child if you are out walking on country lanes?
It’s happened to myself and my children a few times – and therefore think farmers are being repsonsible by making sure their dogs don’t run riot by restraining them.
Dogs are not humans, they are ANIMALS. Animal cruelty is wrong
Please, people get a grip. Let’s concentrate on the millions of people around the world living in autocratic nations who are abused, tortured, starved and exploited. Or is that too harsh a truth to bear?
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hear hear
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Dog’s need to be kept in their natural environment over the winter. A central-heated, double-glazed, semi-detached maisonette
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Don’t forget to put a little tartan coat on and some of those lovelly sweet boots too. Oh yeah and a nice pink bow!
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Ha ha ha ha – Thats unbelievable.
What next, ban the RSPCA adverts?
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Most of you are missing the point – you seem to think we are all animal rights campaigner instead of seeing that we are all just ordinary animal lovers who object to dogs being portrayed in this manner. We are not stupid – we realise that no animal was harmed in this advert. It is the suggestion that this is how we could treat dogs being put over by a big brand such as John Lewis that we objected to. People believe what they see on the telly these days, and nowhere in the ad does it actually show that the kennel is heated or that the dog is a well looked after member of the family. There is enough pain and suffering done to dogs (look in the animal shelters) without John Lewis adding to this. AND they have NOT changed the end of their advert!!! People – protest with your feet and walk away from this wretched company!
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I for one will not protest with my feet.
On the contrary, I am going to be doing more shopping there now.
I wish these moaning people would concentrate more on their fellow man.
I’m sure most *normal* people don’t believe all of what they see on the telly.
Was only yesterday I saw Mr T in a tank eating a chocolate bar. Fools!
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this is getting embarrassing for dog owners and rather annoying for those being told they “are missing the point”…thats a very uneducated comment to make.
First, it’s a TV advert….put it in context of what else you see on TV….last night there was a programme that showed a murder & violence, there was also a cartoon that showed a dog eating a cat……get a grip these are not real and John Lewis showing a dog at the end of an advert is nothing….
the general public have only starting noticing since the wasteful campaigns have started…no-one battered an eyelid before and I’m sure no-one sure as hell thought “oh look – our dog should be outside instead”.
It’s these protests that have made this whole messy situations and brought about a whole host of trouble, plus in the mean time giving John Lewis a massive amount of free publicity just before Xmas.
If you want to protest or make campaigns…take a look where all your xmas gifts were made….and have a think at how old the CHILDREN are that may have made them in certain parts of the World, the hours they are forced to work and the money they get paid….now stopping that makes a difference and make this whole ruddy campaign look like a joke.
If people really have so much time on their hands…have a think about the thousands of emails sent about this..the phone calls and posts on Facebook and forums complaining and insulting those that disagree…add that time together and have a think about how many dog lives could have been saved by spending this time for productively, removing yourselves away from your computers and actually helping dogs that need it….far far far more dogs lives would have been saved then will ever be at risk from this advert……just stop and have a think
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Some good points there “Ru Biks”.
While we’re on the subject of where Xmas presents are made, how many people know that as well as dogs and cats being a delicacy in China, they are beaten to death to supposedly tenderise the meat and improve its aphrodisiac properties?
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Hi Ru Biks
Stopped and thought…..
I’m not as educated as you obviously as I am a humble a dog owner, ran an animal resuce centre and now work for a overseas development agency charity as well as trying to start a project to educate people in many life skills using dogs.
I believe humans AND animals deserve the same respect as it is a problem in society in general not just with humans or animals, that’s why I do check my purchases are ethical and not only at xmas but all year and why I do my best to educate others without preaching to them.
We are all able to have our say and I hope we can make a difference in whatever way we can, with both human and animal issues.
So I see this campaign differently to you but hope it makes you stop and be aware of more than you did before and even if you think everyone who has had issue with this ad is a looney maybe you will respect that they have stood up for what they believe in as much as you.
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I am disgusted by John Lewis. People are clearly going to watch this advert and immediately construct north facing timber kennels with mud floors for their household pets.
I don’t see why they didn’t do the advert with a cat. I hate cats.
And rabbits.
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Me too.
I can’t stop thinking about the suffering of that Andrex puppy.
Think how traumatised the poor little mite must have been whilst being mummified by those evil marketing demons.
How many people saw that advert and rushed off, roll in hand, to wrap the nearest puppy up with their soft strong and very long ?
I’m off to start a Facebook group.
WHO’S WITH ME ???.
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Despite being a dog lover I’ve got to say that the obvious response to the people complaining about this advert is “calm down dear, it’s only an advert”.
I expect the same people objected to the Mr Kipling ad with the classic lines “Mummy, Mr Kipling’s drowned Fluffy”…..”I know darling, but he does make exceedingly good cakes”, followed by a dripping wet dog scrambling out of the water.
I am more worried about the subliminal advertising campaign that we will be exposed to over the next few weeks, where the idea will be planted in our minds that it’s OK for a woman to give birth in a filthy stable surrounded by animals, with a group of dodgy looking old men (illegal immigrants with no CRB checks if you ask me) showering expensive gifts on a baby they’ve never met before.
So what’s the message there – prepare for swingeing cuts in NHS maternity services and don’t worry about a group of old paedophiles “grooming” your child??
Mind you, I still think the dog would be better off in a nice warm basket by the fire….
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By the fire? You want to destroy the environment for your own personal enjoyment? Reduce your carbon footprint and give a present to the Earth this Christmas!!
Let’s start a facebook petition against ads with fireplaces! Come on people!
Don’t you see how silly this all gets after awhile…
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Like many, I had a negative reaction to the ad. Basically I felt a dog doesn’t want a stocking full of presents, he’d rather be inside in the warm. To those who think that means I can’t tell TV from reality, think about this; same ad, but it’s a child shivering in an outhouse. Father brings the kid a bit of tinsel. Warm music plays. Is that a good message? The JL ad seemed at best ambivalent about neglect of animals, and they were right to pull it…if that’s what happened!
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Agree.I didn’t like the ad either.
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Julie Hill,
Do you honestly believe all dogs feel better inside someones lap? Can you now please explain the little boy that spend all day waiting and then shooting the scene, believing he did a great job, why he will not be in the ad? All this campaign against this ad serves no purpose but to undermine the work of the people involved in it. If you and people like you decide to pay attention to kids and not try to replace them with pets, maybe , just maybe this country was going to be a little bit better place to live.
Take care for kids people, dogs will not take care for you when you are old.
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Bridgitte
I’m sure the little boy, just as the dog who appeared in the ad will have no lasting negative effects from appearing in this ad. Both will get their fee and the glory of saying they appeared in it when the next job comes along.
The owner of the dog was also his breeder so no doubt will add a few quid to the next time a litter of pups is produced I’m sure but that’s ok it’s just a dog right?
Maybe take care of all would be a more appropriate than seperating humans from animals?
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Peter, if you’re going to compare dogs to Children…which is firstly the problem with most people…..why not compare dogs with other animals such as cows…sheep…pigs etc etc…all living animals that live outside…the only things that makes them different to dogs is society
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Couldn’t agree with you more.
Dogs aren’t people, they are animals
They require less home comforts to be happy.
They also don’t spend their time trawling the internet jumping on the “outraged” bandwagons as they roll by.
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Farm animals are brought in during the cold months. They generally have the company of lots of other animals of their own kind – which generates warmth and keeps them from getting lonely. Wolves struggle in winter – but at least they have their pack. A lone wolf in winter will most likely die.
“the only things that makes them different to dogs is society”
Plenty of people campaign on behalf of farm animals.
You say above “last night there was a programme that showed a murder & violence, there was also a cartoon that showed a dog eating a cat…” – were these things protrayed as somehow positive? This ad portrays the idea of a dog left alone in the snow as somehow sentimental and cute – it’s a rather feckless approach to animal welfare, imo, and JL should admit their mistake out loud.
As for the cries of “it’s only an advert”
So what? Adverts make people buy stuff – people take notice of them and believe in the lifestyles they portray. That’s what they are for! ‘Leave your dog out in the snow’ might not be the intended message but it makes such treatment look OK – which it isn’t.
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Rachael, I absolutely agree with you.
If adverts really aren’t influential and “we should all calm down” because after all “it’s only an advert”, as some posters are arguing here, then why DO the big corporations spend such huge sums on advertising?
Of course adverts influence people; that’s the whole point of them.
And since not all people who watch TV have minds of their own and high IQs, some viewers, notably children, will inevitably receive the message that it’s really okay, and actually a sweet thing, to leave your doggie out all alone in the snow – just as long as (s)he has got a stocking hung up for Santa!
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To quote Micheal Winner
Calm down, dear, it’s only an advert
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Three words…
Get
a
life
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I was going to rescue a dog and keep it in the house as a pet. Now I have seen this advert I’m going to keep it outside.
I’m also going to visit Midsomer and murder someone and now my son’s school have announced they are serving Bulls tongue, mealworms, and crickets as part of their school dinners.
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Silly.
The only reason this advert should be pulled up is because of that terrible rendition of Elton John’s ‘Your Song’!!!
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I’m intrigued to know how a redition of an Elton John song could be terrible? Surely that implies the original was OK?
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Ok i know this has nothing to do with dogs being left outside in the cold but its really starting to get on my whick. As it goes another forum wound me up too. while ok it gets cold and its not nice to leave animals outside in the winter, dont you all think its odd that absolutly nobody in thiscountry batters an eyelid at the thousands of cow that are out all year round what ever the weather, with no rugs, heat lamps or any other form of protection from the elements?
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This is actually a very valid point and while we on the subject of cows, surely they are entitled to the right to have a smoking shelter too!
I’m going to start a Facebook group “Smoking Shelters For Cows”
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Did you really mean to say “batter” an eyelid? If so, surely that’s eyelid abuse and as such I must protest at such blatant cruelty.
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What a load of rubbish.Its only an advert,Or don’t people know the difference.I have had dogs for years, When I open the door after its been snowing, they are off, and the usually obedient dogs will not come to heel. They are worse than children, when it comes to snow the deeper the better.
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So many people have missed the point of the objections here. Yes the strap line is “for people who care about showing they care”…but for dog lovers that scene would not be how they showed they cared. If my dogs spent their Christmas out in the snow they’d think they were having the worst punishment of their lives! Dog lovers do not think ‘wow they EVEN care about the dog’! Dog lovers count their pet as one of the family! Our labradors each get a dog advent calendar every year, they get their presents wrapped and put under the tree like everyone else, they have turkey and gravy for xmas dinner like everyone else and they spend xmas evening crashed out on the sofa in front of the fire like everyone else! And THAT is how you show them you care!
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hahahahahahahaha!!!
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Yes, thousands of years of breeding and well done, you’ve finally found what dogs TRULY need to keep them happy. The K9 Christmas.
The famous pooch advent is one of my favourites too, and touche for wrapping the presents, although my mutts lack the manual dexterity for wrapping mine so I never seem to get the present that they so want me to have.
Also the added salt in their gravy does do them the world of good, and let me guess a nice bar of Toblerone, Port and Her Maj at 3pm.
You sure know how to look after a dog!
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I’m with you Jon Louis!
I HATE DOGS
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Well done everyone John Lewis have got all the publicity they needed, just like BBC Radio One, ban a song it goes to number one in the charts.Any publicity is good publicity.
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Overkill!
And no, I don’t hate dogs
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This is ridiculous – all dog owners have different attitudes as to how to treat their dogs. Many working dogs rarely get to go inside a centrally heated house and spend their lives in kennels and dog runs – if this practise is cruel then surely the RSPCA would be on the case and there’d be loads of laws in place to prevent it.
Your ordinary pet shop sells kennels and chains – it’s Joe Public that buys from these places so there must be a demand for it. Some people spoil their pets something rotten and treat them like a human, some allow them certain rights in the house but still have rules in place, others don’t even let them in the house. Our neighbours dog has a run and a kennel at the end of the garden – no it’s not my choice of how to treat a pet but it’s their personal choice. The dog is looked after and happy and the RSPCA haven’t been knocking on their door telling them they’re in the wrong.
People just need to gain some perspective and a grasp on reality. For all we know the advert’s set at 5pm and the dog gets to sleep in the house overnight!
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The problem is too many people treat their dog’s like a surrogate child, even allowing it to sleep with them which is totally unhealthy!
It’s a dog, it was a wild animal before it was tamed and enslaved by us humans, it’s cousin the wolf wouldn’t thank you for such namby pamby ways.
By the way, the dog in the advert is an Irish Wolfhound which has been around for thousands of years and is use to being outside, unlike maybe a poodle!
It’s called perspective peeps!
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:DDDD British stupidity rules!!! :DDDD some really bored people out there :DDD
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The great thing about the British is we understand irony… or at least I thought we did!!??
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Still missing the point – we all know the advert is not for real but John Lewis are trying to tell us they care all through the advert but at the last minute they show us that they don’t really care and the child feels sorry for the dog. So the final point of the advert completely ruins the message! The advertising agency didn’t think this through properly.
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Its official, Julia Hill from DogCast Radio is just a tad eccentric, ah bless!
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She is absolutely ‘barking’. Where did good old common sense go? I’m even more surporised that JL agreed to the demands of some mad people.
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I would say ‘barking’. Actually being serious for a moment (can one be serious on this subject) and in reply to Big Fam, how on earth can you possibly think this ad condones animal cruelty. I played it to many work colleagues and not one thought there was any element of cruelty. John Lewis have the last laugh though! One of these colleagues was looking for a cooker and then looked at the John Lewis website prompted by all this fuss, found it was cheaper than else where (who would have thought this from John Lewis!!) and promptly went to buy it. Justice it would seem. Merry Christmas
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When my children were small we had to have the house warm at night as well as in the day and our Samoyed dog used to want to sleep in his kennel. I presume because the house felt too warm for him.
The woman across the road came around to tell me off. This was the same woman who secretly fed him kit kats BTW.
Our present dog does feel the cold and is even reluctant to go out in the rain and always sleeps in the kitchen. He is not an arctic breed of dog and within reason I respect what he likes (which would really be to eat things bad for him and sleep in our bed)
I personally think this reaction to the advertisment is ridiculous and shows Shropshire up as being full of rather stupid people who seem to have nothing more interesting to think about.
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I despair – I really do. It’s an advert – there is no animal cruelty. Some of the comments on here show that people really don’t understand dogs at all. Feeding them chicken dinners and what you have for dinner is not appropriate. It causes all sorts of problems leading to dogs being overweight and an early death. Pampering them and generally treating them as “little adults” is frowned upon as this is also bad for them.
All of this information is readily available from animal charities, vets and who knows where else.
Really – it is no wonder we are in such a mess in this country – we have people being thrown out of work for no reason, forced out of their homes because of petty jealousies and the big debate in Shropshire is whether a fictional dog in a fictional advert surrounded by paper simulating snow is a major news event. I think this year all my presents are coming from John Lewis…
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I suggest that the people who had the intelligence and understanding to realise the advert wasn’t “real”, but made the perfectly valid point that the advert appeared to condone animal cruelty, stop responding to the small minded smart alecs on this thread who lack the intellectual capacity to understand the reasons why the advert is unacceptable. Just reading the “durr it isn’t real you know” type comments says it all really. I won’t be revisiting this thread to read any more of their ignorant comments. The important thing is JL have realised they dropped a clanger with this, but can’t bring themselves to say it overtly. Merry Christmas to all.
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Yes they realise they’ve dropped a clanger. That’s why they have no plans to change it. My sister works in advertising and knows (someone) who had a key role in this advert.
Do you think they are bothered?. No!. The hype that people have caused has done more good for the company, even though a minority may walk away.
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Hi I’ve just seen the JL ad again and absolutely fantastic, they haven’t taken any notice of the mad people. The ad is exactly as it was before!!
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The simple fact of the matter is that, regardless of the complaints suggesting otherwise, many dogs do live outside, all year round.
It is the norm for a good number of working dogs, eg prison dogs, police dogs, farm dogs etc and, indeed, the Deerhound Club (for that is the breed depicted in the ad) states on its own website, “many hounds live out in kennels all the year round.”
Perhaps, more importantly, the controversy which has been whipped up around the ad – by two individuals with a reason for promoting their own dog-related activities – could mean that the John Lewis group will be loth in future to support dog charities on the strength of such hyperbolic and hysterical reactions.
I can only assume that Julie Hill of DogCast Radio and Beverley Cuddy of Dogs Today magazine will pick up any charitable slack that John Lewis and Waitrose leave behind.
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I abhor cruelty to animals as much as the next normal person, but I think we need to get some perspective here. I saw the ad for the first time on Saturday and would never have made the link to cruelty had this not been blown out of all proportion.
Seriously, if we were to channel such effort into combatting real acts of cruelty, and not into what may or may not be construed as cruelty, then maybe we could make a difference.
For example: the alledged appalling treatment of cats and dogs in China as has already been mentioned. And if anyone else was unfortunate enough to see page 2 of Saturday’s Daily Mirror containing a highly disturbing photo of a bull being tortured to death with fire in Spain, then they would surely realise that there are far more pressing crulety matters to be dealt with than an ambiguous TV ad.
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Perhaps we should boycott our local Chinese take-aways then?
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My point is different , what about spoiling children’s dreams …. you ask why mums and dads sneaking gifts in the house yes we are all guilty of it but we do it so are kids think father Christmas brings the gifts, and this 1 advert takes 5mins to destroy the whole thing I like the song on the advert and that is it x
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There’s no such thing as Santa. The sooner you tell your offspring the better.
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Just in case any young children are reading this, please ignore the grouchy man. Santa is getting the reindeers ready as I type.
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Oh Andrew, you buffoon! Santa is doing nothing of the sort because he doesn’t exist! Father Christmas is getting the reindeer ready though!
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That’s true. I am. Now I’d better get back to work. Presents won’t deliver themselves, you know.
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It’s great to hear that you’re all present and correct, Mr. Christmas.
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In case any young children are reading this, I should like to point out that Krampus is also getting ready for the festive period.
Merry Christmas!
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I find this incredible. John Lewis isn’t selling a lifesyle in this advert – it’s selling its products. If people choose to kick off over what is, after all, a piece of marketing bumpf then shame on them.
Were John Lewis showing an advert about animals or advocating how to look after animals then I could understand it but it’s not. The ad is about it products so it’s silly to freak out over anything else.
The radio station got involved to boost its profile and well done to it for doing so but, please, let’s all calm down now. The owner of the dog used in the ad has come out on Radio 2 to say ‘it’s just an advert’ so if she,. as the dog’s owner is happy, maybe the rest of the naysayers should be too?
I tell you, if owning a dog makes you react to little things like this then I don’t think I’ll bother. Mind you, has anyone seen that advert for Cow n Gate? I am so cross about the notion that we parents should feed our children from oversized bottles. How irresponsible. Come on dog-haters, let’s be avin’ you…
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Good God. The contrary whiners really get their undies in an uproar! It’s probably one sad obessive, with multiple email accounts…
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Anyone ready to jump on the outrage bus about the advert on TV that shows a baby in traffic ?
Go on you know you want to :-)
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poeple won’t complain about the baby whizzing through traffic because people care more about dogs than they do about children. Not that there is anything to complain about in the JL ad – its great! They’ve only changed it because of the stupidity of 50% of the british public who for some bizarre reason find it offensive.
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Blimey, I can’t believe this story is currently top of the most commented list.
My take, for what it’s worth.
In the advert, John Lewis are not suggesting that it’s okay to leave a dog in a shoddy little kennel out in the cold. That suggestion is just a by-product of the scene that was shown in the ad. However, following a campaign that seemed to gain some momentum, they did the right thing and responded to it. In doing so, they said “We hear you. We care about our potential customers and we’re not in the business of upsetting them, so we’ve decided to cut that part of the ad”.
The fact that it’s degenerated into the slanging match I can see going on above is pretty surprising.
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How silly.
Life would be so simple if the only thing we had to worry about is an advert.
I actually like the advert.
I have two dogs myself and there is nothing wrong with dogs being kept outside, aslong as there is shelter, warmth ie good warm beds/blankets food, water and the animals gets lots of love and attention.
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[Anyone ready to jump on the outrage bus about the advert on TV that shows a baby in traffic ?]
Nah salopian, after all your not talking about a cat,dog or rabbit, are you?
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Miaowww, miaowww, ha, ha, ha!
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@ Felix
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
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