I think these ads are great. I get the ‘never knowingly undersold’ bit though. Maybe it doesn’t work for John Lewis.

JL should respond with:

Go online to an outdated high street brand, struggle through their inaccessible website, be cajoled into buying a three year extended warranty on a poor quality Korean TV…then go to John Lewis and buy a better TV with a free 5 year guarantee. John Lewis – Never Knowingly Undersold.

I once declined the warranty offer on a video camera in Dixons. They offered me a free carrying case if I accepted. I didn't. He then upped his offer to a free spare battery as well. I still said 'no'. So they had to get the Store Manager over to persuade me of the error of my ways. Still didn't.

Chris, couldn't agree with you more: "the last place you want to go" has to be the worst ever end line on an ad.  I wonder how hard the agency had to try to persuade the client to approve it.

Haven't seen this ad, but I'm going over to YouTube now to see if I can! Have to say that it sounds as if Dixon's have done a fab job of marketing John  Lewis! As an aside, I found out the other day that a friend of mine had never heard of the Never Knowingly Undersold strapline before - I couldn't believe it! I agree that it's obscure and unclear - I think the reason that I've always remembered it is because I had to ask my mum what it meant!

As a former employee at both stores in question, I was happiest at the department store. Happy staff make for better service, which as a customer now I can say that I'd rather buy at the store of happy staff.

The thing about their price promise that John Lewis don't talk about is that they don't price match with online retailers, only high street ones. Possibly something to do not wanting to (ie being able to afford to) compete with online retailers who don't have to pay for well spoken staff and the rented floor space a haberdashery department requires.

I think the Dixons work reflects the way that people shop for branded electricals these days, research online for specs and offline for picture/sound quality and then buy at the cheapest retailer. There are a couple more executions doing the rounds on the tube. It is not just John Lewis that Dixons are taking a pop at.

Telegraph.co.uk are showing them all.

www.telegraph.co.uk/.../Are-these-the-most-honest-adverts-ever.html

Good points, but they don't reflect what's happening, do they? Or Dixons wouldn't run the ads. Or they would suggest why use Dixons.co.uk rather than another site.

With my house in Berkshire, 3 children, second hand Volvo Estate and a Nectar card I am Mr Middle England. And for people like me John Lewis (oooh I said it) is untouchable. You certainly don't sneer at them if you want my custom.

My mum bought her TV from the Dixons website after browing in store being pissed off by sales people and she hates using the internet, especially to buy from.

I think the ads are great because they reflect exactly whats happening. Especially with the new generation. The comments here about it reminding you of the good service in John Lewis are missing the point and are out of touch with their TA.

interesting:

www.marketingdirectmag.co.uk/.../COMMENT---Why-hidden-truths-good-direct-response-advertising-Dixons

Chris, agree on the warranty thing.

When asked if you want to buy a warranty, I usually find the best strategy is to ask loudly in astonishment "you mean you don't expect this product to last more than a year?"

I'm writing a stern letter of complaint to the Daily Mail.