ASDA’s Christmas advert by Saatchi & Saatchi, featuring the tagline ‘Behind every great Christmas there's mum’, has come under attack on social media, being described as ‘a pile of sexist drivel’, ‘controversial’ and ‘depressing and a bit sexist’.
The ad features a woman struggling to get all the Christmas shopping done, wrap the presents and make the Christmas lunch. After the lunch is over, she settles down with her family (including a grandma reading ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’) with a glass of wine, only to have her husband ask “what’s for tea, love?”
While there have been some positive reviews for the ad, the ASA received 24 complaints about the ad on its first day of airing: Sunday.
An ASA spokesperson told The Drum: "I can confirm that we have received 54 complaints about the ASDA Christmas TV ad, though there are more coming through. The general nature of the complaints is that the ad is offensive because it is sexist to both men and women and reinforces stereotypes.
"We have only just received these complaints and have not yet decided whether we will launch an investigation. We will carefully assess the complaints before deciding on next steps."
With the line at the end stating ‘Christmas doesn’t just happen by accident’, could this be a repeat of last year’s Littlewoods ad, where mum stole Santa’s limelight in a school play?
What do you think about the ad? Let us know.