John Lewis has sparked a fevered online debate after sharing an advert on its social media channels showing a mother getting a frying pan for Christmas.
The short video posted to Instagram shows a father adoringly telling his child they needed to get his mother a festive gift for being ‘so kind’.
The ad was created by Will Warr, who filmed the Princess of Wales’s poignant video telling the public she was focusing on being cancer-free in September last year
Showing the loving mother lighting candles and frying an egg with the young toddler, the father and son discuss buying her a ‘secret’ Christmas gift.
Moments later, the duo are on the floor of the tot’s bedroom writing out a message for the mother as the father gently guides his son with spelling.
However, the advert seems to have struck a sour note with some after the toddler emerged, dragging a frying pan for his father to wrap.
In the clip captioned ‘wrapped with care, given with heart’, the children can be seen handing over the gifts of soap and a kitchen utensil to their mother.
She gleefully opens the presents while declaring ‘You know we needed frying pans,’ as she thanks the children for the gifts.
But, the promotional video fell flat with many in the comments lambasting the chain – with one writing: ‘A frying pan?!! Mumma wants a divorce.’
However, other fans were in favour of the cookware present, with one saying they would be ‘grateful’ to receive a ‘practical gift that will save money’.
Nicky Denson Elliott, who describes herself as a ‘Professional feminist’, penned: ‘Dear John Lewis. No mothers want to be handed frying pans from their dependents for Christmas. Love, all women. ‘
While many agreed with her message, some backed the retailer arguing some mothers want a frying pan for Christmas and that the gift was ‘symbolic’.
Meanwhile, another viewer said the advert was ‘sooooo close,’ before adding: ‘But you lost me at frying pan!’
One urged John Lewis: ‘Next time, get a female creative team with the insight of what we actually want.’
‘Oh dear John Lewis. Totally unable to read the room. In 2025. Do better next time,’ a furious viewer quipped.
But others said they would ‘be pleased’ if they received a new frying pan for Christmas, as well as other homeware presents.
One person said: ‘My Christmas present last year was a Ninja dual stack, my choice and I love it.’
Another added: ‘I wish someone would buy me an expensive set of pans.’
A third wrote: ‘You can’t beat a good-quality frying pan. I’d rather receive something which I can put to good use. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with giving houseware as gifts!’
A John Lewis spokeswoman said: ‘This video wasn’t produced by John Lewis, but reflects the experience of a genuine customer and filmmaker.
‘He chose multiple gifts for his partner, with the pans reflecting their shared love of cooking, as well as her favourite hand cream.
‘We have countless presents available though – including those highlighted by other content creators – so people can find the perfect gift, whatever their loved ones’ interests are.’
The Daily Mail has contacted Will Warr for comment.
This year, John Lewis’s official Christmas advert told the heartwarming story of an old-school raver dad being gifted a vinyl single that reminds him of his glory days.
The commercial, released in early November, focused on the relationship between a father and his teenage son – a first for one of the store’s Christmas campaigns.
It opened with the teenager nervously waiting for his father to find his gift hidden beneath the Christmas tree – a vinyl record featuring Alison Limerick’s 1990 club anthem Where Love Lives.
Surprised by the thoughtful present, his dad heads for his record player to try out the gift while his son, headphones clamped around his neck, watches timidly for a reaction.
As soon as the first beat of the song fills the room, his father is transported from their living room to a sweaty, overcrowded nightclub, filled with partygoers.
The ad soon cuts from the dad dancing in the club to flashbacks of his son as a toddler and a baby.
Then, as a modern version of the track echoes softly in the background, the scene shifts back to the present day, where the embarrassed teen is pulled into an embrace by his emotional dad.
The official advert divided fans. One viewer writing on X that the department store has ‘won’ this year’s battle of the festive ads.
Other fans noted how the retailer relied on a white family with both a mother and father to tell its story, at a time when so many ads feature a diverse cast.
‘I swear the John Lewis Christmas ads get worse every year, it’s barely Christmassy in anyway,’ one viewer wrote on X, while another added: ‘Found it very boring and disappointing. Expected something more cute.’
