That bizarre gay Robert Dyas advert is the new official sign the Christmas season has begun. Sorry, Mariah
It’s time to put up the fairy lights and grab a mince pie, because the Robert Dyas Christmas advert is bounding around Twitter once again – and that can only mean one thing: the festive season has officially begun.
Many have spent the last few weeks wondering just how early is too early to put up the Christmas decorations, but the Robert Dyas advert is a good way to figure out exactly when the season begins – and, dear reader, it has finally begun.
The truly bizarre advert, which was first released in 2015, shows staff and customers in a tinsel-lined Robert Dyas store proudly talking about their hobbies and, err, their sexuality.
“Hi, my name’s Marcus. I work at Robert Dyas and I’m gay,” one man declares in the advert.
Surrounded by a blow-up Minion and capsule coffee machines, he continues: “I like going out with my friends and playing volleyball.
“I also like showing our gay and straight customers a funky range of our Christmas gifts.”
Next up is James, who is straight and is holding a saucepan.
“I work at Robert Dyas,” he says, “I like sailing, baking and showing off all our Christmas kitchen gadgets to our gay and straight customers.”
In what might be the advert’s most iconic moment, a customer holds up a spiraliser and tells viewers: “I’m bisexual, and I always find something I love at Robert Dyas.”
Viewers are then informed that Robert Dyas is a place where “gays and straights can buy drills and much much more”.
The Christmas season has officially begun as the Robert Dyas advert bounds around Twitter once more.
We all have those special little moments that tell us the festive season is on its way. For some, it’s the first time they hear “All I Want for Christmas Is You” on the radio; for others, it’s watching their favourite Christmas film.
But for gay Twitter, it is that special moment when people start sharing the Robert Dyas Christmas advert, baffling those who have not seen it before and absolutely sending the rest of us.
Sit down Mariah, for me Xmas is all about Marcus who works for Robert Dyas and is gay. https://t.co/kg5Zjheubu
— David (@HoneyToTheD) November 10, 2020
https://twitter.com/philipnormal/status/1326173882827550721
I’m bisexual, and i always find something I love at Robert Dyas— ⁂ Astrid ⁂ (@AstridF_24_) November 10, 2020
“I’m bisexual and I always find something I love at Robert Dyas” it’s true!! Me too!! Can’t leave without spending at least ten pounds!! Thank you @dalecornish for brightening my daily tiptoe into the horror of waking existence with this gem https://t.co/WehqPb3sOq— Luke Turner (@LukeTurnerEsq) November 11, 2020
https://twitter.com/dalecornish/status/1326436503518654464
https://twitter.com/KimJongUnVEVO/status/1326179287465152518
While the advert is essentially a staple of the Christmas season, not everyone has seen it before – and some people shared their abject confusion, horror and joy on seeing it for the first time.
Surely this isn’t real….?!#RobertDyas https://t.co/6ZEG999D09— Grant Rivers (@GrantSRivers) November 10, 2020
What is this?!?! 🤣😂🤣
“Robert Dyas: where gays and straights can buy drills” https://t.co/kera3hbruK
— Aaron Twitchen (@AaronTwitchen) November 10, 2020
Others were quick to point out that they shop at Robert Dyas all the time, and it’s all thanks to the hardware chain’s fever-dream Christmas ad.
https://twitter.com/DpDormouse/status/1326177010864058368
https://twitter.com/OhFluffySheep/status/1326495213087567874
The bizarre, fever-dream Christmas advert appears to be a spoof of a 2009 ad for a furniture store.
It is unclear exactly how or why the famous Robert Dyas advert was madden the first place, but many believe it is a spoof of an obscure commercial for a North Carolina furniture store from 2009.
Rhett and Link’s Red House released their “Black and white people furniture” campaign and, considering viewers reactions, people were perplexed. Was it satirical or earnest?
In the Red House ad, an employee explains: “I’m Richard, I work at the Red House and I’m Black. I like pumping iron, and pumping furniture into people’s homes.”
Paired with a catchy jingle, the furniture ad explored the hobbies of their staff and customers and discussed their race.
In the late 00s, it obliterated the internet – and it seemed that Robert Dyas were trying to do the same with its Christmas advert.