Last night I was watching TV – something I really don’t do much of, and usually I am not very tuned in to what is on screen due to my incessant need to multitask. A commercial came on for Sears that got my attention immediately. A Dad and a little boy, in Sears, holiday shopping. Dad turns around and the little boy is gone, cheesy humor follows, Dad looks for the boy, mischief is made, scene ends now everyone should go do their holiday shopping at Sears.
Um. Wait. HELLO? Sears, did you forget something? Or should I say someone?
Two words for you Sears. Adam Walsh.
I was so shocked by the commercial that I had to do a bit of a reality check, and shared a post on Facebook. Clearly I was not alone in my reaction to this commercial. For a whole generation the words “Sears” and “Boy Missing” only add up to one thing, Adam Walsh. My husband was as shocked and offended as I was, and just horrified at such an insensitive move on the part of Sears.
There are not many moments I can look at in my life and say without a doubt “that moment changed me”. Watching The Adam Walsh Story, at the young age of 10, when I was young enough to be an innocent child but old enough to start to really understand things that can be very disturbing, that moment changed me. Forever. To the core. Every day of my life I have carried Adam’s story in my subconscious. I have never, ever, forgotten.
I have been hyper aware of safety and my surroundings each and every day. I have never been the person fumbling for keys in a dark parking lot. I will not get on an elevator with someone who makes me uncomfortable. I will stare down a questionable individual in a parking lot in a way that says “I have memorized your face in great detail and could share that detail with the police in a moment”. I look for backdoor exists in almost every building I enter. My safety guard is always up. And it all goes back to Adam. Granted, I also have parents who raised me to be aware and pay attention. I come from a family that has had many men see and survive military combat. I was taught that safety is not to be taken for granted.
When I became a parent, the term overprotective need not apply, because in my book, that was simply parenting, and it wasn’t even possible to be over protective enough with my children. Before I gave birth to my oldest, I told my husband to NEVER leave her side, no matter what happened – words that were the last in my mind as I went under general anesthesia for an emergency c-section, don’t stay with me, stay with our baby, keep her safe. Before she was even born, my priority above all was that our eyes were on her, at all times. Adam’s story instilled in me that the world can change in the shortest of moments, the blink of an eye. At almost age ten, my daughter stays right by my side in public. My fear, yes I’ll say fear, of strangers has passed down to her, and I have taught her to never, ever question the little voice in her head and that if someone looks scary, or looks nice but you don’t feel right, all rules of politeness are out the door, and your safety is always the number one priority in life.
I walk the line of not wanting to frighten her, but also knowing that enough fear may keep her aware and protect her. I want her to have that inner sixth sense that if she sees a person, in the dead of an Arizona summer, dressed head to toe, with a big jacket that looks stuffed, sunglasses and a hood on, in 119 degree heat – I want the voice inside her to say “that’s not normal, pay attention”. It may be fine, but don’t take that for granted. I want her to enjoy her life, but I also want her to have a constant awareness of her surroundings. I have very few people who I trust my girls with, and I have never cared what anyone may think of that. I struggle daily with my fear for the future of my non verbal child, my child who can’t tell me, or anyone, when something is wrong. Safety is always at the front of my mind. For me that all goes back to being a ten year old girl, the age of my own daughter, watching The Adam Walsh Story in my family room. And Sears, when you show a little boy get lost in your store, THAT is what floods my mind. Christmas shopping just became something that isn’t even on my radar. Little Adam Walsh, in his baseball cap – that is what your commercial brings to my table.
I have friends my age who I have discussed the topic of Adam with in the past, and they get it, it has played out the same way in their lives. It was not just me. My guess is that whoever came up with the concept for this commercial for Sears, who ever did the original drawing boards, concept meetings, pitches, panel testing and ultimately brought it to fruition, must not have been in the age group of 35-45. But at no point did someone say “wait, hold up, this might not be the best choice – at the very least, let’s make it a little girl, or a blonde child, but maybe not have a little brown haired boy go missing, even playfully, while shopping at Sears”?. Nobody in the process said, stop. Bad idea? This blows my mind.
I have to wonder what John Walsh and The Walsh Family, as well as heartbroken families anywhere and everywhere who have faced devastation such as this, feel when they see this commercial? If my reaction, as someone who has only witnessed these most unthinkable tragedies through the media, is this strong, I can’t even imagine how they must feel. My friend Sara made a comment on Sear’s Facebook page and they said the commercial was supposed to be fun and humorous. Um, not so much. Maybe another store could have run that campaign (though I still would have found it in poor taste), but Sears, no, not you. You can’t change what happened in your store back on July 27, 1981, but you can show respect and realize that it will never go away. This commercial however, it needs to go away. And an apology, along with a donation, raised awareness or promotion of The National Center For Missing And Exploited Children, might be a good idea as well.
I’ll step off my soap box now…
Christi, Right on! I’ve got your back on this one (and thanks for the mention) and have done something I normally don’t do. Actually, I’ve done a few things I normally don’t do and that is (1) post openly on a brand’s FB page that what they did was wrong and (2) email my friend who is on the board at NCMEC so he can call up his nearest and dearest friend John Walsh so he can maybe let Sears know that there’s nothing fun or playful about their ad. I get that the ad’s supposed to be about a dad and his son shopping for mommy. But, uh, mommy’s going to need more than a $13 pair of cheapo CZ earrings to allow dad to EVER watch their son again when she finds out her precious little boy “went missing”. If missing kids was so funny it wouldn’t be the subject of every 8th episode of Criminal Minds or CSI or SVU. If missing kids has a playful angle then why hasn’t any major TV comedy done a segment on it. It’s because there’s nothing fun or playful about turning around and not finding your kid.
That Sears would make light of such a serious issue makes me angry. It makes me wonder how the store employees are trained if a child is reported missing. 30 year is not ‘a long time ago’ when it’s your child that goes missing. Sears owes the Walsh family an apology and needs to better evaluate these ‘brilliant ideas’.
I also was horrified by this ad. I turned off the TV, and I’ve been writing letters to Sears and every TV station in my area asking that they have some common decency and stop running it. I am a mother and grandmother who always considered the safety of the children in my care to be my top priority. I am also a foster parent who spent a year of my life trying to rehabilitate a teen sex offender who preyed on very young children. Losing a child in a store is not humorous. Losing a child in a Sears store is gut-wrenching.
I was shocked also. In fact there is a youtube video of the commercial and I posted something about the Adam Walsh connection.
I was told that I need to “get a grip.”
Sears should be ashamed for that commercial.
I am 33 years old. I was told the story of Adam Walsh at least 100 times by my Grandmother groing up. Adam’s story taught me how to protect myself and be aware of my surroundings. His story became a part of my personality. When my husband “who also posted on this website about the same subject” told me about the commercial I was sick!!! So many people were affectd by the story of Adam. John Walsh goes on to do a lifetime of work making the world a safer place in the name of his son. Sears on the other hand turns the situation into a “cute situation” Shame on you Sears!! There is nothing funny about not being able to find your child…..especially at Sears.
I think people should chill , the commercial is cute, Sears is only trying to show the cute side of christmas America wake up.
Just saw this commercial, and was thinking how insensitive it was! I’m so glad to see I’m not alone! Thanks for posting this. Sears will not be getting any of my Christmas money!
I thought I was the only one too who made that connection to Adam Walsh, the first time I saw the commercial, I was doing something else and didn’t pay much attention. Then as I saw it again, it suddenly dawned on me that one, a missing toddler in a store, any store, is not funny and that two, this was Sears where as I said on my fb page the “orginial missing” child Adam Walsh was abducted and murdered. I cannot believe that this store or its ad agency missed that horrific connection. One of my fb friends said maybe it was because the ad agency people are all under 30, but I would think that someone in the Sears organization would have picked it up and nixed the ad…..and I was wondering too if the Walshes have seen this and am surprised they have not come forward.
I completely agree with you. SEARS, of ALL companies!!!!! Are they completely insensitive??? I find it appalling. I will not be spending a single penny there.
Exactly, and I plan to write a letter to sears myself about this. How could they have done that?
I just sent an email to Sears about this and wondered if anyone saw the commercial as I did. I’m glad to know there are other caring people out there and that dear Adam and his family have not been forgotten.
After seeing that commercial I wanted to cry. What is wrong with sears?I honestly don’t want to shop there anymore are there any writers that are over 32 years of age that have a brain that remembers the tragedy or are they just too stupid and insensitive to care
I DID post on sears’ website and besides my daughter and another friend, it brought out all the sickos not seeing anything wrong with the commercial. Sears posted a very non/ committal statement that meant absolutely nothing. I finally left it with your address seeing that nobody else was able to change their stupid minds. I’m glad I’m not alone in feeling so totally offended by this whole concept. I have been posting since Sunday so please forgive me for not standing with you as much as I need to. I’m so emotionally drained by this and my heart goes out to the Walsh family.
I thought I was the only one who made this connection. I made it the first time I saw the commercial. I am 58years old with two grown sons and two grandsons. I cannot believe how insentiive this commercial was to the Walsh family. I remember the Adam W alsh story and have passed it on to my sons and grandsons in the name of safety. I will not leave my gransons side when they are out with me and they are 5 and 9 years old. When they ask me why they can’t just go to the toy aisle by themselves. all I have to say is remember Adam. The fact that Sears ran the ad in the first place was horrible, the fact that they are still running it is unforgivable! Over the year I have been a loyal Sears shopper, mainy for appliances, not small ticket items. I mean major appliances, like washers, stoves, freezers, and television sets. Well Sears, you can color me, my family and friends gone. We all owe Adam and the Walsh family more respect than you have shown. THERE IS NOTHING CUTE ABOUT YOUR CHRISTMAS AD!
This commercial gave me instant chest pains. As long as I live I will never forget Adam Walsh (or Etan Patz) and this was one of the least sensitive ads I have EVER seen. Even if your child wanders for a second it is heart stopping. Please wake up & can this ad!!!
I am glad to see others feel the same but why am I still seeing commercial on December 18th
I thought I was the only one who made this connection and was traumatized by the new holiday commercial
I’m looking for the name of the actress that plays lisa where did you get that dress? from sears
While its a fairly stupid commercial,
I don’t know if the producers intended it
to be tasteless, or a cruel satire of the Adam Walsh murder.