[Glenn.]

Sainsbury’s has said it strives to “represent a modern Britain” after it was criticised for releasing a Christmas advert featuring a black family.

On Saturday, the supermarket shared the first of three Christmas adverts it is releasing this year on Twitter.

The one-minute-long clip, titled Gravy Song, features a heartwarming phone call between a father and daughter as they share their excitement for Christmas, and their hopes of spending the day together amid the coronavirus crisis.

The advert shows a montage of throwback home video-style footage over the phone conversation. Laughing as they recall festive family memories, including the dad's famous gravy, the daughter says: “Your gravy is good to be fair and...I just really want to be home for it.”

While the advert has been created as an ode to how food can create happy memories for people, some Twitter users have hit out at the company for featuring a black family in the clip.

Some argued that the advert did not represent them while others threatened to boycott the supermarket for “virtue signalling”.

“The UK is 80 per cent white. Do Sainsburys not have data on who actually shops there lol?” one person wrote.

Another added: “This doesn’t represent me, I don’t see myself in this at all. I can’t relate.”

A third person wrote: “Another one added to the banned list. Go woke go broke.”

Meanwhile, others called out the “racist” comments that were being left under the video and praised Sainsbury’s for promoting diversity.

“With all the other Christmas ads mostly featuring interracial couples/families it's nice that you have done a black family a dark skinned one at that! Who you rarely see on TV, thank you,” one person commented.

Another agreed, writing: “I wouldn’t normally weigh in on a Christmas advert but i’ve just read through the replies and wanted to say bravo to whoever’s running your social media accounts and having to spend their day replying to sad old racists throwing tantrums.”

Some people also took the opportunity to mock those leaving negative comments on the Christmas advert, with person ironically writing: “I'm very upset about the Aldi advert actually because I'm not a carrot and us non carrot people have not been represented.”

Another added: “You can’t relate to an advert showing a family of human beings. Are you alright Debbie?!”

After witnessing the debate on social media, Sainsbury’s weighed in and began replying to a number of the comments.


“At Sainsbury's, we want to be the most inclusive retailer,” it said.

“That's why, throughout all our advertising we aim to represent a modern Britain, which has a diverse range of communities. We have three stories of three different families in our advertising.”

The advert runs in a similar vein to the first, this time showing home video footage of a mother and son sharing memories of past Christmases.

The final film, Big Sarnie, is being released on 19 November, and will show two cousins reminiscing about Boxing Day at their nan’s

Each advert has the same caption at the end: “Food is home. Home is Christmas.”.

Emma Bisley, from Sainsbury’s, said: “We know that this year has been different for everyone.

“It’s our memories of these dishes, prepared by the people we love, that have the power to transport us home - whether we’re there or not.

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-s...-b1723646.html

We love triggering racists!

[Liam-]

I might start shopping at Sainsbury’s if it’s going to be bigot free from now on, sounds like a nice place.

Imagine getting so angry about seeing black people on tv, what sad little lives they must lead

[Ammi]

...is this the dad’s gravy, one...?...it’s a good ad.....

[Niamh.]

Fgs what is wrong with people

[arista]

Typical

[Elliot]

This country is an absolute joke at times, **** like this is so embarrassing

[Ammi]

Youtube video

...the Gravy Song is excellent......

[Liam-]

Isn’t it funny how the same people who pledge that the uk isn’t racist, that we’re welcoming and tolerant, are more often than not, the ones that get angry when they see black people and would quite like immigrants to drown in the ocean

[GiRTh]

Originally Posted by Liam-

Isn’t it funny how the same people who pledge that the uk isn’t racist, that we’re welcoming and tolerant, are more often than not, the ones that get angry when they see black people and would quite like immigrants to drown in the ocean

[James]

Three [?] people on Twitter don't represent the views of everyone in a country.

[parmnion]

An example of utter pish.

[Glenn.]

Originally Posted by James

Three [?] people on Twitter don't represent the views of everyone in a country.

It’s more than three people James...

[James]

Yeah, but when you look at these trending topics on Twitter it's often a few as a thousand tweets, with some people complaining and some people responding to those posts.

It's not very many.

[Liam-]

Ah, as long as it’s not too many people then

[Ammi]

...I guess it’s as much the content as the amount of tweets as well...’Twitter call for a boycott of Sainsbury’s...’...it’s the cancel culture that seems to be the Twitter vibe...we don’t like the ad, it doesn’t fit with our mindset so boycott the supermarket...

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

the clamour of 20 something ad agency execs to pretend to be woke/inclusive/white privilege disgusted etc etc to sell food is a national embarrassment

If i were black i would be offended that my skin colour is being hijacked to make very rich people even richer

thumbs down

It's a national embarrassment to feature a black family in a Sainsbury's TV advert?

Have a word with yourself.

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

no, of course

its why

and let me give you a hint

its not from a good place

Of course it is. That's what you tell yourself when you're accused of racism.
Far from the truth.

[Black Dagger]

Originally Posted by James

Three [?] people on Twitter don't represent the views of everyone in a country.

Its a lot more than that but yes let's just downplay it x

[The Slim Reaper]

The fact that a family in an advert, is conceived as being from any place is weirdo territory.

[Cherie]

another click baity headline

last years ad had a black family as well, maybe the shoppers turned racist in lockdown

I swear half these comments are posted by staff to create an outrage and get their paper read

[Cherie]

Youtube video

loved this one but it was 2018, the only thing I will say about this years is its pretty boring

last years was Nicholas the sweep

[Oliver_W]

Who even notices things like that Weirdos.

[smudgie]

Proper family xmas, that’s what it should be about.
10/10.
I love Sainsburys.

[Gstar]

Originally Posted by LeatherTrumpet

If i were black i would be offended that my skin colour is being hijacked to make very rich people even richer

thumbs down

I’m not offended, it’s just an advert. If it was a white family you wouldn’t have anything to say. It’s the blatant racism for me, the way you haven’t been banned is ridiculous

Originally Posted by James

Yeah, but when you look at these trending topics on Twitter it's often a few as a thousand tweets, with some people complaining and some people responding to those posts.

It's not very many.

This is an ignorant comment. Racism is alive and well in the UK no matter how much you want to pretend it’s not a big deal.

Countless times I’ve seen those fat middle aged tramps who live on facebook posting racist comments on black articles, some of these comments are getting hundreds of likes. It’s an issue, and by dismissing it you’re becoming part of the problem

[bitontheslide]

i don't know why some people are so fixated with who is in an advert. If it were a celebrity i could understand a love/hate thing maybe, but its a blinking grocery shop that sells baked beans