Be Mindful Of Who You’re Really Angry At

Every November, my friends and I dissect the John Lewis Christmas ad, broadly agreeing that if it’s made us cry, it’s a good one. Even if the song or the merch isn’t to our liking that year, it’s still the John Lewis Christmas ad, as essential a part of the Christmas countdown as buying a tree. Sure, their primary motive is to flog us things, but in a feelgood way. How can anyone hate on a Christmas ad? 

This is the year we learned that people can and will hate on anything. Before you could say “but it raises money for charity”, the JL ad was being flamed for having too many women in it, and not enough dads. No matter that almost a quarter of families in the UK are single parent – the bulk of them women – for some, not having a father figure in the ad was misandrist. And then there’s M&S, forced to apologise after it posted an out-take of three red, green and silver paper hats being tossed in a fire. 

Yes, people are very angry about a lot of things – how could we not be. But it’s sad that this anger is so often misdirected. In sensitive times such as these, PRs could be forgiven for feeling as though they’re constantly on the brink of a crisis. Be kind, always. But also be mindful of who you’re really angry at.