Some find viral EDEKA ad emotionally manipulative
Christmas leaves ample room for emotional manipulation by the commercially interested.
Has a German supermarket chain taken the concept a bit too far? While plenty applauded the latest ad by EDEKA for its emotional note, some on Twitter and other social media channels are seeing it with a more sober, critical eye.
Accompanied by the song Dad by Supreme Music, it shows an old man faking his death to reunite his kids for the holidays in Germany. Believing they’re coming back home for a funeral, they’re surprised at a Christmas dinner table by their alive-and-smiling father.
“Nothing says Christmas dinner like an emotionally manipulative parent @EDEKA_D,” tweeted @aacrosbie.
“German supermarket wins most emotionally manipulative Christmas ad,” blared the headline of a story by tech news site The Verge.
The ad is being compared to – and perhaps was influenced by – the holiday ads created by U.K. department store chain John Lewis, a beloved brand among middle class British people that is seen as having egalitarian values.
John Lewis 2015 Christmas ad: The Man on the Moon
Its Christmas ads are an eagerly anticipated national event -- comparable to the Super Bowl ads in the U.S. -- and British people are often willing to suspend their legendary cynicism in the face of the ads' emotive appeal.
Nick Clegg, the former U.K. deputy prime minister and ex-leader of the Liberal Democrat party, once called for a “John Lewis economy” in the country, referring to a fair system in which employees have an ownership stake.
John Lewis’ ads have even brought a computer science educator from Blacksburg, Virginia, unsolicited Twitter fame. The man, John Lewis, with Twitter handle @JohnLewis, handles hundreds of mistaken attaboy tweets – and customer service complaints -- with aplomb and humor.
“Fair to say that @johnlewis is my new favourite Twitter user. Love your advert!!,” tweeted @aaron_haley.
“That's very nice of ... Oh, never mind. @johnlewisretail,” Lewis replied.
In a gesture of gratitude, John Lewis, the store, sent John Lewis, the educator, a telescope, a reference to the latest John Lewis ad -- "The Man on the Moon" -- about a little girl who uses one to find her elderly lunar friend.