Veronique Rhys Evans

Head of Comms @dentsuCRTV. Creativity and equality. Small children, beautiful things, loud music. Not always in that order.

[Veronique Rhys Evans @vezre]

Thanks to @SkyNews @SkyBusinessLive and especially @IanKingSky for playing the world exclusive of our music video raising awareness about the devastating effects of online shaming with @KPN.

[Ian King @IanKingBusiness]

Many thanks to my guests on this morning's edition of @SkyBusinessLive: @sophielundyates from @HLInvest and Joost Farwerck from @KPN. And, if you want to watch the very powerful video from @MeauHewitt which I discussed with Joost, you can do so here:
https://t.co/4peSfNceEF

[Veronique Rhys Evans @vezre]

@axelk @m_bertozzi With a Rhodesian Ridgeback I concur!

[Veronique Rhys Evans @vezre]

@axelk I’ve had both and on balance, the SUV wins for parking/tight corner/lanes…but it has to be the right SUV. Many are massive but with no decent boot space, and hardly a 4x4 credential in sight. With 2 kids + 2 big dogs, Subaru Forester and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV both great

[Veronique Rhys Evans @vezre]

Seeing January out good and proper with Temple Of Love '92 #cloudbusting with @laurenlaverne

[Veronique Rhys Evans @vezre]

@zoescaman When you find a beautiful way of accommodating it, let me know. I'm overrun!

[Veronique Rhys Evans @vezre]

@Zeddie101 Unbelievable.

[Veronique Rhys Evans @vezre]

@Zeddie101 So pleased for you and the team Michael x

[Veronique Rhys Evans @vezre]

@FelicityHannah Most of the time easier. Then something important or difficult happens in your life. Like the death of a parent. And it's IMPOSSIBLE. It is at these moments you need humans, common sense and empathy, not technology, to get you through the stress and complexity of your situation.

[Veronique Rhys Evans @vezre]

@MattPotter This might be my ideal evening....

[Veronique Rhys Evans @vezre]

@VikkiRossWrites Euwww

[Veronique Rhys Evans @vezre]

@axelk No idea, but they're all so expensive. And most are crap.

[Veronique Rhys Evans @vezre]

@axelk Muckrack i mean!

[Veronique Rhys Evans @vezre]

@axelk Roxhill is pretty decent or meltwater

[Nick Asbury @asburyandasbury]

So here is the full Jungian reading of the John Lewis ad that you know you need.

The Venus flytrap is consumer capitalism. By the end, it is vomiting out presents to an acquisitive family who were queasy about allowing it into the house, and now feel guilty about shoving it out into the cold (but not sufficiently guilty to bring it back in again).

The family is the 2023 ad industry, awkwardly re-embracing the commercial purpose it has neglected for so long, while keeping it at a safe distance from the warm, cosy mental comfort zone of social purpose.

The gift of the Venus flytrap comes from the boy (Gen Z) looking beyond his parental generation (including the absent father, who represents the lost creative force) and appealing instead to his Gran, who is Bill Bernbach. The result is a re-embracing of advertising’s role in driving growth that appears scary and ugly on the surface, but also gives us many things we want, including Lego Minecraft.

Meanwhile, there is a visual echo between the John Lewis flytrap and the Morrisons oven glove, which is no coincidence as both emerge from the collective unconscious of our times.

The Morrisons oven glove represents the lower middle class’s functional relationship with consumption. The glove is protective and utilitarian, the music is cheerful, the faces and superficial identities of the cast are largely hidden and unimportant, the message is one of solidarity as the cat (representing individualism) paws at the window.

The John Lewis flytrap represents the upper middle class’s dysfunctional relationship with consumerism, wanting its rewards but afraid it is a monster that will ultimately consume them (or their dog, who represents familial bonds). The music is both highbrow and anxiously frenetic.

Finally, the John Lewis and Marks & Spencer ads are built on a similar ‘insight’ involving a strained combination of respecting tradition but also you-do-you. We are stuck between an uneasy relationship with our past, and uncertainty about the future. Morrisons has the answer: We can build this dream together, standing strong forever, nothing’s gonna stop us now.

We are entering the pre-post-purpose age and the ad industry is dreaming fitfully about its future. Things may eventually improve, but will also continue to be weird.

[Veronique Rhys Evans @vezre]

@axelk Deeply unpleasant. The Greek in me is not amused.

[Veronique Rhys Evans @vezre]

@axelk Deeply unpleasant. The Green in me is not happy.

[Veronique Rhys Evans @vezre]

@axelk Having this exact conversation. Nonetheless, sticking with a character building 16-17.

[Veronique Rhys Evans @vezre]

Helpful, generous advice for PRs.

[Nicole Pasulka @NicolePasulka]

Hi. I’m the new senior features editor at @Cosmopolitan. I put out a call for pitches last week and got an incredible response. Thank you so much! Now, I want to drill down a bit and give some more context on what we’re looking for. 1) STORY!...

[Veronique Rhys Evans @vezre]

20 years ago we told the story of Paul, who faced with impossible choices, ended up homeless. Just as we all would in his situation. #homeslessness is #notalifestylechoice @SuellaBraverman. Shame on you. https://t.co/LAh1DyYQ0v @jonsoeuvre #depaultrust

[Veronique Rhys Evans @vezre]

@JessZafarris Can't wait to get my copy!