ALDI UK have trolled John Lewis’ Christmas offering with their very own new Elton John advert – except this time, he’s a carrot-man.
‘Tis the season for huge commercial giants to get competitive about Christmas ads. This year, the eleventh consecutive year John Lewis have released a blockbuster TV ad, is no different.
You can watch the ‘Elton John Lewis’ Christmas advert below:
The advert tells the story – backwards, creating an admittedly impressive narrative arc – of the 71-year-old icon’s lifelong musical career, which all began with a special gift: a piano.
But the John Lewis Christmas advert, usually a tear-jerker, left the Internet jury a bit cold this year.
Usually, they’ve got the audience reaching for the hankies:
Some criticised it for being unrelatable; more like a gift to Elton which arrived on November 15, special delivery, just in time to document the extra promotional boost to his record sales (over 300 million at last count) and the summer 2019 release of his eagerly-awaited biopic, Rocketman.
You can watch the trailer below:
However, in a statement the singer said:
The John Lewis Christmas campaign has so many warm memories for me and my family.
It’s been a lovely opportunity for me to reflect on my life in music and the incredible journey I have been on, and how first playing my grandmother’s piano marks the moment when music came into my life.
The ad is absolutely fantastic and I’ve truly loved every minute of being a part of it.
Meanwhile ALDI UK and their trusty Christmas mascot, Kevin the Carrot, saw an opportunity to help us mere mortals who can’t afford a grand’s worth of piano celebrate Christmas with a chuckle and some thrifty savings.
Nice of them, really.
Enter: Veg Dwight, Kevin the Carrot’s alter ego, who bears a more than passing resemblance to Elton – not to mention sharing a similar name. Elton John was actually born Reginald White, in case you missed it.
Copying The Boy with the Piano, almost frame by frame, ALDI recreated the ad featuring the real Elton John with a little carrot dressed up in groovy shades and a wig.
The carrot points out his fondness for rocket – inspired by the Rocketman himself, presumably – but quickly goes on to note how much cheaper the ALDI grocery is than its competitor.
Veg goes onto belt out: “I’m a carrot ma-a-a-a-n!” Clever, that!
While other brands are advertising Christmas which won’t break the bank or pulling PR stunts in the name of sharing the love with those less fortunate, John Lewis are over here encouraging the nation to drop a grand on a grand piano.
Lidl were also quick to jump on the anti-hype of The Boy and The Piano when they discovered John Lewis were actually flogging instruments for a huge sum of £872.
The gloriously budget supermarket made their own joke, which they dubbed ‘a LIDL bit funny’.
Then, helpfully, LIDL offered their own alternative:
With the competition hotting up, it doesn’t look like ALDI, LIDL or John Lewis are going to be on Santa’s nice list for Christmas 2019.
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A former emo kid who talks too much about 8Chan meme culture, the Kardashian Klan, and how her smartphone is probably killing her. Francesca is a Cardiff University Journalism Masters grad who has done words for BBC, ELLE, The Debrief, DAZED, an art magazine you’ve never heard of and a feminist zine which never went to print.