John Lewis, a UK retailer, has just released it’s 2014 “Christmas advert” and it’s adorable. World, meet “Monty” the penguin. Warning — you might need tissues:
https://twitter.com/johnlewisretail/status/530270159777189888
Ahhhh. Monty gets a girlfriend!
Many on Twitter like the ad as much as we do. Some examples:
'are you crying dan' 'lol no im not cr- HE JUST WANTED MONTY TO BE HAPPY AT CHRISTMAS I REMEMBER WHEN I HAD AN IMAGINATION' #montythepenguin
— Daniel Howell (@danielhowell) November 6, 2014
https://twitter.com/leedsparadise/status/530303568918892544
This is unwatchable to any mum of a boy. I actually cried in front of people at work. #montythepenguin https://t.co/4Y7M5Nz4ps
— Liz Nice (@scarlettmacbeth) November 7, 2014
https://twitter.com/BennyFizzleWho/status/530681243659423745
@johnlewisretail @HelenJPrice08 I think they have nailed it again!
— Andrew Barke (@Barkie13) November 6, 2014
https://twitter.com/TheLsMum/status/530304398438981632
@johnlewisretail #lovelovelovelovelove!
— ELISAH (@elisahcvv) November 6, 2014
@johnlewisretail Tissue time again..#johnlewischristmasadvert always make me blub like a baby!
— kevinjjparker (@kevinjparker) November 6, 2014
And then people ruin it:
Is the 2014 John Lewis ad heterosexist? http://t.co/RTHhoafdff pic.twitter.com/DeCapul9pj
— Slate (@Slate) November 7, 2014
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Oh, come on! “Hetreosexist”? (Note: Heterosexist is partly defined as the “assumption that all people are heterosexual.”)
Here’s an excerpt from the Slate piece:
According to Gay Star News, the homosexuals of my native land are miffed at what they perceive as the heteronormativity of the ad. As several British tweeters pointed out, penguins are known to be a gay-friendly species. NBC’s Parks and Recreation has spotlighted a same-sex penguin couple at the Pawnee Zoo, and as Outward’s Mark Joseph Stern reported this summer, a book about gay penguins was banned in Singapore.
And…
Unfortunately, I later discovered that the ad has an official backstory, one that imposes a gender binary: The boy is called Sam, his favorite toy is Monty, and the new addition to their ménage goes by the old-fashioned moniker of Mabel. And it’s all a plot to sell $150 stuffed toys. Yep, that sounds like Christmas to me.
So Monty has a girlfriend and that’s why the ad is being targeted? Give us a break!
https://twitter.com/CaseyisSocial/status/530601177470472192
@Slate https://t.co/5l8mBFg6Rl and so it begins @aruddock
— Noel Martyn (@NoelMartyn) November 7, 2014
@Slate I'll never get back the 3mins it took me to read this ? #pointless
— Ian (@i_ashworth) November 7, 2014
You can read more about Monty and Mabel love’s story via their Twitter feeds:
Anyone else feel like it’s been Monday all week? TGIF. #MontyThePenguin pic.twitter.com/ZZ0PjfXEIA
— MabelThePenguin (@MabelThePenguin) November 7, 2014
I’ve got to grow up if I want to find love before Christmas. I realised that the other day in my den #MontyThePenguin pic.twitter.com/VMY5V3PNtM
— Monty The Penguin (@MontyThePenguin) November 6, 2014
Don’t tell Slate, but there might be some sexism going on here as Monty has almost 15,000 followers and Mabel only about 2000.
Come on, Brits — give Mabel some #FF love!
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