Beautiful as the ad is it serves only to cast a melancholy shadow on my day. As it comes to its conclusion the dominating thoughts in my head are not that John Lewis is a quality retailer and a friend throughout my life who’ll always be there catering for my every materialistic whim and need, but of my inevitable slide into old age and eventual demise. That is, if I’m lucky to get through enough of life to get that far (and if I do God-knows what I’ll do with all the useless things I purchased over the years after watching persuasive heart-strong tugging adverts).

The advert is beautiful art for the masses; without requiring any thought it taps into emotions that we hold dearest. The combination of Mr Dangerfield’s soothing voice, the attractive young student celebrating the best years of her live and the loving mother doting on her families every need creates a perfect picture of middle England bliss that everyone should aspire too.

A fantastic collection of moving images and sound? An interesting piece of brand communication? A great and true reflection of live in Britain? Not if certain newspapers are to be believed, do you not read the Daily Mail folks?!

My favourite comment on this advert comes from a post on John Lewis’s YouTube channel from sanjuro4, who casts a fantastic social viewpoint on proceedings:
“Poundland should make their own version where the woman spends most her life alone living in a rathole of? [sic] a bedsit, eating potnoodles and watching daytime TV”
And there’s also much discussion in the national press, where it’s pointed out that the ad has more than a few similarities to other adverts and films.

Personally, if I was Marketing Director at We Buy Any Car, I’d be smugly ecstatic, sitting with feet up on the desk and a self-satisfied grin on my face. The ad is brilliant in it’s own way. If you’ve seen it, I challenge you to a brand recall survey: “Name a company that will buy your car?”

See?!

Thomas Cook’s tv ad does more to alienate me than attract me though. I somehow can’t see me and Sarah (my girlfriend) affording to stay in the same swish pad and private beach as Jamie and Louise (before the final frame I was convinced it would be a coveted luxury holiday brand rather than a high street one). I’m sure it will work to inspire some people but that sort of aspirational marketing leaves me a little cold (as well as guffawing at some of the slow-mo pics, particularly Jamie’s golf drive and Louise’s equestrian friend).

Anyway, this article isn’t about that tv ad or Thomas Cook. It’s about one of their rivals, and the data driven approach of their fiercest competitor Thomson, whose integrated approach really appeals to me.

My last holiday was booked via Thomson Holidays, nothing too fancy, a 7 day break on the western most peninsula of Halkidiki in Greece. At that point Thomson gathered my email address and I presume an opt in for their newsletters.

After the holiday we received some nice email communication and the option to provide feedback. After a couple of months I was a bit sick of holiday suggestions via email especially so soon after the last one, modest though it was.

I clicked to unsubscribe and was met with some of the best email marketing I’d seen, a really nice Thomson web page asking me did I want to simply postpone emails until I was in a better position to book a holiday.

Thomson's intuitive unsubscribe page

Why not I thought, impressed with the option to select the three airports I’m most likely to travel from and a date when I’d be more inclined to look.

Thomson's personalised direct mail cover

I also selected a few options for the type of holiday I’d be interested in, options including city, villa, long haul, winter sun etc.

Just recently I started to receive the emails again (I wish I could remember the date I actually selected for re-contact!) and then a few days ago a nice piece of direct mail.

Addressed to me, the title read “Holidays built with Mr Fletcher in mind”. Tucked slightly conspicuously in the corner was an offer too, up to £200 of your next holiday.

On opening the booklet, the first facing page says ‘Last time we took you to Halkidiki’.

“Yes you did” and on I read, intrigued as to what further personalised treats awaited. The next double spread was on Turkey, one of the destinations we had considered last time around. Now I’m hooked.

Yes, I did go to Halkidiki last year!

Unfortunately the rest of  the booklet was a bit of a let down, the last double page dedicated to all-inclusive deals to Benidorm and Ibiza. I’ll admit I’m a snob – I would have happily unticked the ‘all-inclusive box’ on the unsubcribe page had they the foresight to add that as an option (for me all inclusive defies the whole point of a holiday).

Still, between email and snail mail direct marketing Thomson are top of my mind and despite their mixed holiday suggestions I’ll not forget to remind them when I’m interested in a holiday, hopeful for a decent offer or late deal.

Whether this marketing piece results in a holiday booking, time will tell. But in terms of impact and awareness, this is integrated marketing that has put them a step ahead of a competitor.

Thomas Cook? Your tagline seems very cheesy and irrelevant to me at the moment.