The ad has caused outrage across social media
(Picture: YouTube )A John Lewis home insurance ad featuring a young boy dancing around the house in a dress and makeup has caused an unexpected round of Twitter grumbling.
So much so, the retailer was forced to issue an explanation.
To be honest, we’re a bit baffled that a fun, light-hearted ad caused some people to get bent out of shape - but they did, with some Twitter users complaining about the gender aspect of the commercial, and others getting upset that the child in question caused a bit of damage at home.
Er, they know it’s fictional, right?
Nonetheless, John Lewis Retail felt compelled to respond:
“At John Lewis, we believe in children having fun and that’s why we chose this playful storyline for our latest advert,” they said.
“It’s designed to show the young actor getting carried away with his dramatic performance. He is not willfully damaging his home and is unaware of the unintentional consequences of his actions.
“If customers have Accidental Damage Cover with our Home Insurance, this would cover a range of major and minor home disasters – including unintentional breakages caused by children in the family”, they added.
Titled ‘Let Life Happen’, the advert debuted during Monday's Great British Bake Off break. It showed a young boy in his messy room surrounded by jewellery and clothes.
Dressed in a striped shirt, oversized dress and necklace, he flicks his mum’s heels off as he heads downstairs to dance around the house to Stevie Nicks’ Edge of Seventeen.
During his dramatic performance, he causes a mess around the house.
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Some viewers took to Twitter to slam the “sexist” ad, suggesting it was “narcissistic, destructive, aggressive and misogynistic.”
One Twitter user said: “Opinions on the John Lewis home insurance ‘Let life happen’ advert?
“I saw sexualisation of a male child imitating OTT feminised posturing, who was also acting like a bully and vandal...”
Why are you doubling down? The advert was appallingly sexist, and reinforced all sorts of regressive stereotypes about how boys and girls behave, and what reactions such behaviour elicits. Very poorly thought through on your part
— Neil M Reggae (@regaem) October 14, 2021
Bye bye Waitrose.
— Littlest HOMOsexual (@HomoLittlest) October 14, 2021
I can't support a company which promotes this sexist male-entitlement.
It’s laden with sexist stereotypes. How did this pass standards?
— Goody TwoShoes (@twoshoes_goody) October 13, 2021
The most sexist ad I’ve seen in forever.. dear god we are going backwards! #genderstereotypes @JohnLewisRetail #johnlewis #sexism https://t.co/td2IVPIgPq
— Lisa Tebbutt 🦖🦖 (@Goodfoodmum) October 13, 2021
No. It’s awful. And sexist. The boy gets to dress as a girl and do all the fun stuff and the girl has to sit and watch whilst he destroys her house. Although in some ways it actually sums up the situation. #Johnlewisfail
— annieduffin 💜🤍💚 🦕 (@annieduffin) October 13, 2021
transphobes: why are people trying to label children who just want to play dress up!!!!!!!
— Mollie Goodfellow (@hansmollman) October 14, 2021
transphobes seeing the John Lewis advert: *explode like a jacket potato in a microwave*
I thought people were probably making a fuss about nothing until I watched it. It feels really sinister. The little boy isn't playing wildly, he is angry and aggressive. And sexist. Time to copy some of these tweet to @JohnLewisRetail
— Chwaer Buddug. (@CBuddug) October 13, 2021
Awful, who the hell sanctioned this piece of ugly , sexist, misogynistic rubbish? Expected a lot better from you. @JohnLewisRetail @johnlewis https://t.co/ue01hKtM8N
— Deborah Scarrott 🐾🌙🇪🇺 💙 (@archie1badger) October 13, 2021
Dancing? Dancing would be fine! But he was ransacking his mother’s bedroom, throwing an umbrella into a shelf, purposely knocking his sisters paint over etc. Literally not dance. Come on!
— Orchid (@pixiecat2020) October 13, 2021
I’m a John Lewis customer. I didn’t appreciate this awful advert. Glorifying a boy deliberately trashing his home while his sister/mum sit helpless. Horrible,sexist tripe. And you can stop spinning it as ‘unintentional’ damage. We’ve got eyes.
— Suzanne (@maidotheloch) October 13, 2021
Others, however, did not find fault with the retailer’s new ad.
They absolutely should not withdraw it, just because some people are choosing to be offended doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Don’t watch it, simple as.
— KT🧸 (@MsKittyKatie) October 14, 2021
I love the advert and hope to see more like it and more companies follow suit.
“Imagine being a grown adult and being genuinely angry, annoyed or upset that a little lad is running around the house in a princess dress on a john lewis advert hahahaha”, one tweeted.
While another highlighted the sad but predictable backlash, “People already having a rant about that boy in the John Lewis advert dressing up???”
