Tesco’s Christmas advert, which features Father Christmas showing a Covid vaccine passport to border security in order to avoid quarantine when entering the country, has become the most complained about advert of the year. The total number of complaints exceeds 1,500, with the Advertising Standards Authority mentioning that many of the complaints said that the advertisement ‘encourages medical discrimination on vaccine status’. Mailonline has more.
It begins outside of a Tesco store, with a customer set on trying to make sure she has everything prepared for Christmas. The advert then follows her on her journey home where she encounters merrymakers overcoming anything that is thrown at them.
But in one scene a reporter appears on TV with the ‘breaking news’ that Father Christmas could be quarantined. He is then shown presenting his Covid vaccine pass at border control, showing he can be let into the country.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the bulk of complaints were from viewers suggesting the festive ad is ‘coercive’ and ‘encourages medical discrimination on vaccine status’.
The U.K. regulator said it is currently investigating the complaints to decide whether to take further action.
A spokesman for the ASA said: “We’ve received over 1,000 complaints regarding this advert.
“We are currently carefully reviewing these complaints to determine whether there are any grounds for further action.
“The large majority of complaints assert that the ad is coercive, and encourages medical discrimination based on vaccine status.”
Following its release at the weekend, anti-vaxxers, including former I’m A Celebrity star Gillian McKeith, launched a #BoycottTesco campaign on social media over its inclusion of a vaccine pass.
Worth reading in full.
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If we are to have mandates (I’d prefer not to), I have a proposition for a better one.
I propose that we mandate a punch on the nose for the perpetrator on every occasion that some media or political talking head or writer suggests that we must obey government policies in order to “save Christmas” – from government policies, ffs!
Boris Johnson will hold a 3pm Covid press conference as No10 expands booster programme to over-40s and confirms 16 and 17-year-olds will get a second dose ‘to save Xmas’
I’ll drink to that, now and at Christmas! But I won’t be buying my drink at Tesco’s. They deserve a bloody nose over this one!
Absolutely. Though I did see a comment earlier (might have been on Twatter) from someone saying he’d seen the advert pushed with the grossly offensive bit of Santa propaganda edited out, so perhaps they’ve gotten the message.
Still on the Tesco corporate website with the offensive bit in!
Still needing that bloody nose you mentioned, then!
Someone on the Reddit site also mentioned the same regarding the propaganda being edited out.
GOVERMENT “SAVE XMAS!”
PEOPLE “FROM WHAT?”
GOVERMENT “US!”
Tescos own YouTube loading of the infamous ad has now received 19,000 downticks
, up from 17k 5 hours ago and a derisory 1,600 upticks garnered from their agency’s friends’n’families.
As pointed out by Carl Vernon and Alex Belfield two days ago on YouTube.
“Johnson suggests”, “Johnson hints” – What a way to run government.
Johnson: “The pokies don’t do shit all to stop the spread of this mild virus, lol”
Also Johnson: “GET JABBED TO SAVE PFIZERMAS, KIDDIES!!”
Do I have that about right?
Bunter does have form in taking both sides of an argument. Brexit (or something that sounded like it) springs to mind.
Bunter was brought up as and still is a eugenicist. He simply hates people who are not who are not filthy rich.
Brilliant.
The “lol” says so much.
Johnson and his partners in crime, including Tesco’s, can just kcuf right off!
Another one for the boycott list with Aldi. F*ck ‘every little helps’.
What have Aldi done? I use them several times a week but will go elsewhere if they’ve put themselves on the wrong side of history
When I hear “every little helps” I always add “our profits”!
#BoycottTesco
That’s a jolly good pre-Christmas wheeze (no covid pun intended).
All that does is create more work for the staff, having to put items back on the shelves. And a cowardly act. Why not find out who made the Tesco Xmas advert and give them a good (sadly this had to be cut short due to lack of space. Ed.)
I take the point, but the staff will get paid the same either way, at least in the short term: it’s not a small business franchise.
And “But think of the staff!” can be used to avoid taking any punitive action against evil companies. Merely boycotting isn’t enough for this degree of proactive compliance with the bio-tyranny.
It would be braver to go to Tesco’s head office and have it out with them there. This is down to the persons who conceived that advert, and the advertising agency that made it, and those who approved it.
Who dare go to Tesco’s head office?
Trouble is that wouldn’t go anywhere either. They’d be in denial, they’d fob you off, and they’d get the heavies in to to keep you back…then they’ll boo hoo to the MSM about “aniti-vaxxer haters and thugs attacking them” and turn the narrative back to their advantage.
Not you, Foxy, that’s for sure.
I am currently boycotting M&S, Waitrose/John Lewis and Sainsburys, for various reasons connected with politics and wokeism.
To date, Tesco had managed to avoid attracting my ire but no longer.
Looks like it will Aldi or Lidl for me from now on unless Tesco come out and apologise.
Lidl have been a bastion of common sense for the past 20 months.
Feel free to complain here: https://www.asa.org.uk/make-a-complaint.html
Every little helps, as they say.
I’ve helped!
Me too!
From the ASA home page:
Tesco Christmas Ad – complaints receivedWe have received a high volume of complaints about the Tesco Christmas ad. We’re currently carefully assessing the complaints to establish whether there are any grounds to take further action.
Where’s the complaint’s form link? So we can all pile in
Never mind, someone did it below
Toby Young said he quite liked it.
Daily Sceptic Editor Toby Young believes, however, that issue has been completely overblown.
He told Express.co.uk: “As a lockdown sceptic, I like this ad. It features a broad cross-section of people saying, in effect, ‘Don’t you dare cancel Christmas.’
“Yes, Santa has to show a Covid Pass, but to cross the border, not to enter a pub. And there’s a good bit in which the ad takes the Mickey out of the Government’s yeah-but-no-but travel restrictions.
“Chalk this up as a win for our team.”
https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1521164/Tesco-boycott-campaign-twitter-vaccine-passports-Christmas-advert
How can Toby be such a dope.. Doesn’t he realise that pretty much everyone eventually travels out of the country. If they want everyone on a digital identity system, one to get in and out of the country pretty much gets most of the population of the country.
Have you switched to team Davos?
Sounds like he’s lost the plot. Any introduction or acceptance of so-called “vaccine passports” leaves liberal democracy skating on the thin end of the ice wedge.
But that was ever the plan, formulated long in advance of “Covid 19” hitting our shores.
Lockdown Sceptic but pro vax I believe or would someone, even Toby, like to correct me?
“Lockdown Sceptic but pro vax I believe or would someone, even Toby, like to correct me?”
Sceptic and not anti the “vaccines”, but against mandates I think, from my recollections and interpretations of his positions. As far as I recall he hasn’t actually had the “vaccine” himself despite pressure from his wife. Though I’m recalling that from some time back, and it might have changed, or I might be mis-remembering.
I disagree entirely – Santa has a grin on his mug as he proudly holds up his ‘Fully Vaccinated’ proof – this advert is unmistakably a message that, if you want to keep your Christmas, then you must be a Good Citizen and get your jabs to get your Freedom Pass / Opportunity Pass / Green Pass.
I’m disappointed they could only find a white Santa, though.
B0ll0cks!
“I’m disappointed they could only find a white Santa, though.”
Positive discrimination has created a systemic corporate shortage of black, disabled cross-dressers. But don’t worry, nanny state is working with pharma and tech corporations on ways to increase the supply.
It would be interesting to see how much Tesco were incentivised to put out an advert like that and by whom. Those are questions which need to be asked or whistleblown.
You’d think but I’ve got personal experience of big global coroporations who are not in the public eye and are unlikely to have pressure put on them by governments in this regard and they are enthusiastic followers of wokery, climate crisis and corona propaganda. That side has taken over the world, see Peter Hitchens’ numerous pieces on the Long March through the Institutions
I can’t understand that. ‘Vaccine Passports’ whether for external or internal use is the hill that we have to fight on.
He doesn’t even look like Father Christmas.
Probably got Covid.
I’m just amazed Santa isn’t portrayed as black this year.
There will be nowhere left to shop soon, Tesco now added to my banned list alongside the horrific pro-PLM, pro “diversity”, anti white male Sainsburys
08:28 – “White young male must be stopped”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zzpx9VX9hoI
Here it is for those who’ve missed it, Santa show his Vaccine Pass at 0:51
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P7QSCLtRwI
We all know what’s going to happen. Some people here will say they’re going to boycott Tesco, and might keep it up for a few days…. then, after that, they’ll nip into Tesco because they sell something that Lidl doesn’t, or because Tesco happened to be nearer and they couldn’t be bothered to walk all the way to Waitrose… and then it’s all forgotten and it’s back to the regular shopping at Tesco because it’s your nearest supermarket, and where you’re used to going… and the petrol is one penny cheaper than at Sainsbury’s…
Tbh, I think the biggest problem is finding a supermarket for which there isn’t a reason to boycott them, and remembering what you’re supposed to be boycotting each one for….
The supermarkets have all taken to microwaving their customers and staff by lining the ceilings with wifi routers, they promote mask wearing which causes a range of health conditions which at least some of their workers who spend 8 hours a day wearing one will no doubt be affected by, then they play tedious patronising voiceovers about keeping you safe. They have become Orwellian cesspits of the lowest order, with the facial recognition evil tech being rolled out as we speak. A reflection of the corporatised Satanic inverted moronic no soul nation the UKSSR now is. And theyre only just getting warmed up, just wait for the designed in Israel made in China smart cities which are coming. They are building hell and people are going along with it.
You need to shop at our local Lidls, they wouldn’t know what a wi-fi router is let alone install any!
From BBC website reporting on BJ press conference:
Then he is utterly bereft of logic, objectivity and reasonableness – but then he has probably received plenty of backshish from the jabmongers and the techmongers waging war on freedom through their surveillance apps. He is gaslighting the population yet again. It’s also clear they are obviously looking at the data with the intention of moving to Plan B, they just need the wind to blow in the right direction.
What’s unspoken in the ad is that if Santa did not have his passports, he would not be allowed in the country. Presumably he and his reindeer would be shot down by UK’s Air Force. I guess all the UK children would cheer this Christmas morning news?
Coming soon: Companion commercial showing that the Grinch does not have his passport.
He’d get to spend his Christmas in Scarborough:
https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/local-news/scarborough-grand-hotel-out-control-21769353
Never believed in Santa anyway….. Bah Humbug…
Don’t believe in Santa?! It’s one thing to be sceptical but not to believe in Santa is a step too far!
There is no chance, none at all, that this wasn’t at least run past Leader Johnson’s Nudge Unit. I’d fully expect that the Old Boys Network reached out, and that it will be just the first of many.
Vaxxports to Save Our Christmas! will come the cry, in perfect lockstep unison.
Don’t forget there are a lot of City Boys with stakes in tech companies itching to launch their govt jab permission licence “products” on us.
The same sort of people who…I dunno…are currently in No.11 and in charge of the NHS.
It’s all to keep us safe though?
Just watched the Tesco ad with the “offensive” clip of Santa. What is the fuss about? It’s an ad with the theme of nothing stopping us from having Christmas – not even covid. It reflects society as it is at the moment.
If people are really into nit-picking why not complain as well about the plane full of passengers flying off to who knows where – lots of CO2 being produced by that flight for sure.
I wonder if offence taking will be an Olympic sport one day?
For me it was the vomit-inducing sight of that hysteria- and dishonesty-based green pass being introduced in an obviously positive light, and the implication that we should regard it as a good thing that we arbitrarily and illogically discriminate at borders based on covid/”vaccine” status.
Ymmv.
Spot on! How anyone cannot understand that is beyond me. Vaxpasses are the gateway to Social Credit Aps.
Some people seem to struggle to understand the difference between feeling “offended” and objecting to manipulative propaganda.
I get your point of view and I agree to an extent. However, the covid pass scene is clearly aimed at normalising the idea of these documents. Using humorous communication methods is one of the many ways you can normalise an idea and ‘move’ the Overton window. You may not see it or think it carries a message, but it doesn’t mean that the message is not there.
“It reflects society as it is at the moment.” And that makes it OK in your book?
“Nit picking” Vaxx pass = evil fascism based on a Big Lie.
I am deeply offended at that – gold medal offended.
Anyone for a good 5 minute argument?
WTF has CO2 got to do with this?
According to Retail
Gazette, the agency responsible for the Tesco Christmas ad is
BBH
Address:60 Kingly Street
London
W1B 5DS
New Business:Ellie Ring
ellie.ring@bartleboglehegarty.com
Press:Isobel Thomas
isobel.thomas@bartleboglehegarty.com
Capabilities:Communications
Conversions
Experience
Relationships
Transformations
Here is the link to the Retail Gazette story
https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2021/11/tesco-unveils-2021-xmas-advert-featuring-double-jabbed-santa/
Just added one more.
So:
Christmas 2020 cancelled effectively, “alas, as an absolute last resort” when we had to all intents and purposes no jabs.
Christmas 2021 “no guarantees” it won’t be cancelled when 90% of the population have been injected and 90% or thereabouts have antibodies either from one or both of prior infection and being injected.
Whichever way you cut it, it’s not about health.
Absolutely boycotting Tescos now … I don’t care whether they apologise or not for this disgraceful commercial – they have lost my custom for good. I don’t hand money over to businesses that promote medical descrimination, medical aparthied, medical totalitarianism, medical fascism (call it what you like) – its wrong, its divisive, its evil … end of story – this is completely unforgiveable.
Tescos can get stuffed – I hope the company goes bust.
I’m rather glad this advert did what it did! The slipped in clip showing Santa with a covie-pass is the stick that broke the camel’s back. Already we’re being gaslighted with threats of another banned Christmas (they can FRO) and vax passports if the naughty children don’t take their next medicine dose, this little ad has highlighted it all, and people are kicking off! Own goal government BI team – serves you bloody right! MSM are wetting their knickers over the so-called “anti-vaxxers” but they’ve all reported on it, and increased awareness even more, so own goal for them too!
Santa, instead of having any sort of passport – vax or otherwise – could have just used a rubber dinghy.
I’m bemused by the reaction to this advert. To me the overwhelming message is no-one’s going to stop us celebrating Christmas this year. That’s a message I’m fully on board with regardless of any stupid laws the government might weakly acquiesce to in order to appease the Covid cultist.
I thought the Santa thing was just a social commentary joke and didn’t see it as some kind of tacit support for the wretched idea. I’m actually surprised it hasn’t caused more controversy with the cultists.
Do you really not see the clearly propagandist effect (regardless of intent) in this portrayal of a “threat to Christmas” (created of course by the disease not by government panic response policies) thankfully resolved, to raucous popular approval (in the ad), by Father Christmas proudly displaying his conformity with the state health pass regs?
Granted one can always interpret such material differently if one has different understandings and assumptions from the masses about underlying realities, but that’s irrelevant to the effect it will have in practice on the masses. I think speculating that this could be clever subversive satire flies in the face of everything we know about corporate reality on this covid panic.
I see him following the rules for international travel, which exist at the moment.
If anything you could see it as ridiculing the idea that it would stop Santa (given all the so-called VIPs flying in unchecked to Glasgow.
While the MSM condemns the use of ivermectin, the most populated state in India just declared they are officially COVID free after promoting widespread use of the safe, proven medicine. In addition to this, Ivermectin attaches to covid spikes and prevents them from binding to ACE2. Get your Ivermectin today while you still can! https://ivmpharmacy.com
Could this be why they changed from Indian to Delta for the variant name; to stop people from seeing how it was going in India!
Gesundheitspasse oder Krankenheitspasse?
What business is it of Tescos to promote Covid passports? Is their phone company hoping to provide the technology for them? If so the Government should use BT if it doesn’t want to face the same problems it experienced with test and trace. Oh I forgot it is all about money and contracts isn’t it? Whatever happened to the old fashioned idea that the private sector madea profit by selling its goods and services in the open market. I suppose it is easier simply to compete ( if that is what they do) for Government hand outs.
1,500 is that all?
I think a lot of people are missing the point. You have to meet requirements to avoid quarantining for international travel, and vaccination is one of the ways, and Lapland is overseas.
BBC R4 You & Yours has just had two vaccine sceptics phone in.
The rest sadly was the usual patronising rubbish including one woman spouting the fallacy that one gets it to protect other people. One does not.
If the BBC is allowing dissenters, maybe it has been told to expect a slow change in narrative.
Early on in the pandemic (why are we always “in the middle”?) I noticed that while the likes of Lidl (I confess a love for Lidl) were advertising biscuits and “Lidl” prices, Tesco were using their advertising budget to push The Narrative. You will stand in line, you will only come in singly, you will wear a mask, you will sanitize your hands, your basket, your trolley. Above all you will be fearful and be glad we are making it so “safe” for you! Disgusting company.