# The Montymania generated by the John Lewis Christmas advert presents an early gift for WWF UK - Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/11/08/wwf-uk-benefit-montymania-surrounding-john-lewis-christmas-tv-advert/ - Published: 2014-11-08T15:28:22+00:00 - Author: John Thompson **The Montymania surrounding John Lewis’ decision to cast [Monty](https://twitter.com/MontyThePenguin), an adorable but lonely CGI penguin, in its Christmas TV [advert](http://www.johnlewis.com/christmas-advert-2014-montys-christmas) this year has presented an early gift for WWF UK, the world’s leading independent conservation organisation.** > When did penguins get so popular? If I’d had known I’d have played the penguin > card years ago. [#MontyThePenguin](https://twitter.com/hashtag/MontyThePenguin?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > — Monty The Penguin (@MontyThePenguin) [November 7, 2014](https://twitter.com/MontyThePenguin/status/530833566150959104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)   For starters, the charity, that also benefits from the support of brands such as [Coca-Cola ](http://www.worldwildlife.org/projects/wwf-and-the-coca-cola-company-team-up-to-protect-polar-bears) and [Whiskas](https://www.fundraising.co.uk/2013/12/03/meow-create-integrated-cause-related-marketing-campaign-wwf-whiskas-help-protect-tiger/) ®, has its penguin adoption programme showcased on the retailer’s Christmas landing page. Additionally, it will also receive 89p from each purchase of Tom Odell’s rendition of Real Love, the advert’s theme song. ## Advertisement [⌊Posthub advert. You create the campaign. We'll handle the postal journey. Get started at post-hub.co.uk.⌉](https://fundraising.co.uk/ads/posthub-20261007-300x250/) ![](https://wfay6x.infiniteuploads.cloud/2021/04/montythepenguins-friends.jpg) #MontyThePenguin’s charity friends on the John Lewis website Christmas campaign page ![89p from each sale of Tom Odell's song Real Love is donated to WWF.](https://wfay6x. infiniteuploads.cloud/2021/04/John-Lewis-Real-Love-89p-to-WWF-181x300-1.jpeg)   Whilst the relationship seems more opportunistic than strategic (_would John Lewis be supporting WWF if it hadn’t played the penguin card_?), WWF’s leveraging the relationship via social media and currently has its [Adopt a Penguin ](http://www.wwf.org.uk/) programme dominating its homepage. It’s also directly tweeting celebrities and TV presenters, such as [Jamie Theakston](https://twitter.com/wwf_uk/status/530672223309553664), suggesting they adopt a penguin for their children this Christmas. > Turns out [@johnlewisretail](https://twitter.com/JohnLewisRetail?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > love penguins too & support our work in Antarctica [#MontyThePenguin](https://twitter.com/hashtag/MontyThePenguin?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [http://t.co/fvVwu7Z6Sc](http://t.co/fvVwu7Z6Sc) [pic.twitter.com/Qs3L5p9SMo](http://t.co/Qs3L5p9SMo) > — WWF UK (@wwf_uk) [November 6, 2014](https://twitter.com/wwf_uk/status/530320511591784448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) Commenting on the tie-up, Kerry Blackstock, director of public fundraising, said: “Raising awareness of our wildlife adoptions is vital for our work and we are delighted to have the opportunity to join forces with such a high profile organisation like John Lewis, as this is such a special time of year. We hope this partnership will result in even more adoptions being chosen as Christmas gifts this year and enable us to protect even more iconic species for future generations.” Not long after the advert broke, however, Twitter was all in a flap about John Lewis charging £95 for a stuffed toy version of Monty with tweeters suggesting that people would be better off adopting a real penguin from WWF. This indicates that awareness of the ‘partnership’ between WWF and John Lewis is currently low and could benefit from more cross-promoting. For example, John Lewis could add a reference to WWF in the closing frames of its £7m advert, that has already gained over 7m views on YouTube. It could also explore a ‘percentage of sales’ donation generated by purchases of the plethora of penguin merchandise linked to its campaign, that are flying off its shelves. Or what about providing adoption pack info in all of its stores across the UK? And surely a #WalkLikeAPenguin selfie, in aid of WWF, wouldn’t be too much to ask for this Christmas? Mabel, oops, maybe it’s not too late for that? I don’t think so and I also expect, hope, to start seeing some tweets from [Monty](https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/11/08/wwf-uk-benefit-montymania-surrounding-john-lewis-christmas-tv-advert/Monty) himself encouraging his 20k+ followers to adopt a penguin. Ditto [John Lewis ](https://twitter.com/johnlewisretail) and its 178k followers. Income and good will could also be maximised if the charity, John Lewis and [Tom Odell](https://twitter.com/tompeterodell) started directly promoting the 89p donation generated per purchase of “[Real Love](https://twitter.com/tompeterodell/status/530313709407973377)“. > Don't BUY MONTY for £95. Adopt one for £3 a month. The Adelie penguins are at > risk of extinction. [#MontyThePenguin](https://twitter.com/hashtag/MontyThePenguin?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [http://t.co/m9QPPnZnzz](http://t.co/m9QPPnZnzz) … > — DavidJO'Brien (@DavidJOBrienDav) [November 8, 2014](https://twitter.com/DavidJOBrienDav/status/531014541073973249?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [@LauraLeighBlogs](https://twitter.com/LauraLeighBlogs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@johnlewisretail](https://twitter.com/JohnLewisRetail?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > adopt a Wwf penguin, cuddly penguin, much cheaper and for a great cause! > — Ellie (@espanswick) [November 8, 2014](https://twitter.com/espanswick/status/531114314246402048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) ![Rebecca Kinge with over 1000 WWF Adélie penguin adoption toys which have arrived to meet high demand since it was announced that John Lewis, whose Christmas advert features Monty the Penguin, is supporting the charity’s Adopt a Penguin programme. Photo: Gretel Ensignia/PA Wire](https://wfay6x.infiniteuploads.cloud/2021/04/wwf- penguins.jpg) Photo: Rebecca Kinge with over 1000 WWF Adélie penguin adoption toys which have arrived to meet high demand since it was announced that John Lewis, whose Christmas advert features Monty the Penguin, is supporting the charity’s Adopt a Penguin programme. Photo: Gretel Ensignia/PA Wire  To conclude, it’s a great tactical venture with huge potential to be developed further. Still, even as it stands, the partnership will help create many really lovely relationships for all involved. In fact, as Monty’s so popular, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s back on our screens next year with a whole brood of mini-Montys and Mabels that we’ll globally warm to, as I gather Adélie Penguins are never knowingly overcold. _Main photo: Gretel Ensignia/PA Wire_ ## Comments ### By: HowardLake - Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/11/08/wwf-uk-benefit-montymania-surrounding-john-lewis-christmas-tv-advert/#comment-630 - Published: 2014-11-08T21:53:00+00:00 Madeleine Sugden has blogged about several charities who have made the most of the\# MontyThePenguin hashtag: [http://madlinblog.wordpress.com/2014/11/07/should-charities-join-in-with-mega-hashtags-like-montythepenguin/](http://madlinblog.wordpress.com/2014/11/07/should-charities-join-in-with-mega-hashtags-like-montythepenguin/) She asks whether it is right for charities to join in such non-charity-specific hashtags and concludes that it can work well. ### By: HowardLake - Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/11/08/wwf-uk-benefit-montymania-surrounding-john-lewis-christmas-tv-advert/#comment-631 - Published: 2014-11-10T17:46:00+00:00 John Thompson has some more thoughts on how this penguin fundraising malarkey could fly… [https://twitter.com/JTCHANGINGBIZ/status/531855003594817536?s=09](https://twitter.com/JTCHANGINGBIZ/status/531855003594817536?s=09) ### By: HowardLake - Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/11/08/wwf-uk-benefit-montymania-surrounding-john-lewis-christmas-tv-advert/#comment-635 - Published: 2014-11-19T14:49:00+00:00 You weren’t far off with that idea John. As you know, WWF UK is now promoting \# PenguinDanceBattle: [http://youtu.be/wWdpcY7VEHs](http://youtu.be/wWdpcY7VEHs) ### By: HowardLake - Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/11/08/wwf-uk-benefit-montymania-surrounding-john-lewis-christmas-tv-advert/#comment-632 - Published: 2014-11-12T09:16:00+00:00 John Thompson also spotted that Macmillan Cancer Support joined in with the \#montythepenguin interest: [https://twitter.com/JTCHANGINGBIZ/status/532227492892135424/](https://twitter.com/JTCHANGINGBIZ/status/532227492892135424/) ### By: HowardLake - Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/11/08/wwf-uk-benefit-montymania-surrounding-john-lewis-christmas-tv-advert/#comment-633 - Published: 2014-11-12T14:41:00+00:00 Charity penguins are everywhere this season. Here’s a tree decoration in a fundraising direct mail pack from Barnardo’s: [https://twitter.com/JennyTurnerPR/status/532493732143452160](https://twitter.com/JennyTurnerPR/status/532493732143452160) ### By: Willie - Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/11/08/wwf-uk-benefit-montymania-surrounding-john-lewis-christmas-tv-advert/#comment-634 - Published: 2014-11-12T14:43:00+00:00 can we spot the irony here? Adelie penguins cute, but threatened, as populations seem to be struggling for food. They mostly eat krill, the tiny plankton that is the staple food of Antarctic whales too, and seems to be at risk from Climate Change. Yet the article makes no mention that a corporate deal with the Krill Fishing industry also swells WWF’s coffers. Still, please adopt a starving penguin! ### By: HowardLake - Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/11/08/wwf-uk-benefit-montymania-surrounding-john-lewis-christmas-tv-advert/#comment-636 - Published: 2014-11-19T14:50:00+00:00 The Monty mania keeps on coming. WWF UK is now challenging us to take part in the\# PenguinDanceBattle: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWdpcY7VEHs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWdpcY7VEHs) ### By: HowardLake - Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/11/08/wwf-uk-benefit-montymania-surrounding-john-lewis-christmas-tv-advert/#comment-4031 - Published: 2021-11-04T06:03:56+00:00 Here’s John Lewis’ Christmas ad for 2021\. Not the same level of charity partnership as with WWF UK – just 10% of profits from the sale of one jumper. [https://twitter.com/howardlake/status/1456198899593617409](https://twitter.com/howardlake/status/1456198899593617409)