As they critiqued the show’s’snobby’ team and high-priced products, Christmas at Liberty viewers called it a PR disaster.
Channel 4 aired the show last night. It followed the London luxury department store’s team as they worked for months to decorate and prepare for the holiday season.
The visual merchandising group worked six nights to create the spectacular Christmas window display.
But it was not enough to convince Chief Marketing Officer Madeleine Macey. He demanded many changes to the window before the launch. Parts of it were referred to as ‘obscure’.
Many of those watching were left stunned by the way she spoke to staff, with one saying: ‘This Madeleine seems like a nightmare to work for – clearly they’re all scared of her! Why doesn’t she collaborate with the team to make the windows look better?
Viewers of Channel 4’s Christmas at Liberty slammed the programme as ‘a PR disaster’ as they criticised the ‘snobby team’ and ‘overpriced’ products (pictured, Chief Marketing Officer Madeleine Macey studying the window display and providing her feedback)
“No sense in leading-by example.” The team has done a great job, and the decor is beautiful.
Another commenter said, “What a PR disaster is the tone deaf documentary.” It fails to capture Liberty London’s loveliness and the friendly professionalism of its staff.
“It’s an amazing brand but the documentary makes them look shallow and greedy.”
Adil Mehboob Khan, CEO, explained that the Christmas season is more important in 2021 than ever. He said: “Last year just as we were about going into Christmas, the second lockdown struck.”
Many viewers of the show last night said they felt it was ‘distasteful,’ and a’snobby.
‘Cash has been very tight, and now I want us to be very bold. We are up to the challenge.
“Christmas is fundamental for retailers. It’s 50% of us over the past three months.”
Madeleine added that “the pressure is on for all to be perfect.”
“The competition in the world is fierce and everyone deserves a Merry Christmas. It can be hard, and it is difficult.
Among the products highlighted was a red cabbage plate and a £48 candle, which Madeleine said was ‘affordable’ for everyone
Lisa, the Visual Content Manager, was central in the vision to bring the magic back into Christmas.
Madeleine and Abil were shown a mockup of the Christmas window displays she had in mind. She explained that there was a need for people sending love.
“So we have the postbox and now we can have love and outpouring on our doorstep.
Abil seemed impressed by Lisa’s idea. Madeleine interrupts Lisa at the meeting to sign off on Lisa’s plan.
“Is there going be a theme?” she asked. It’s amazing how real this is to life [paper envelope] sample? It appears a bit beat up.
Lisa admitted that she was feeling ‘a lot pressure’ after pitching the idea of an “outpouring” of love through postal services to be the theme of her window display.
“I am concerned about the envelopes that we use, as they are going to be very easily damaged.
“You’re going be walking in these little windows all day and they will get broken.”
After the meeting, Lisa confessed she felt deflated, saying: ‘There is a lot of pressure when people react that way.’
Madeleine explained that Liberty’s is the only place in which there’s a balance between avante-garde and traditional.
“So, when Christmas is a traditional time, can you be as edgy as possible and aspirational than the usual?”
Madeleine also stated that they wanted to emphasize products that were “edgy, aspirational”.
Among the products highlighted was a red cabbage plate and a £48 candle, which Madeleine said was ‘affordable’ for everyone.
With Christmas quickly approaching, the visual merchandising team took on six night shifts to get the elaborate window displays built.
Hannah, a team member, stated that thousands of envelopes had been frantically put into place manually. She said: “Some of the envelopes got crushed when we were getting this build done. We know Madeleine is going to notice so we are replacing crushed envelopes and anything else that’s not perfectly placed.”
Hannah said that as the week was coming to an abrupt close, the jobs started piling up at the store.
They spent six nights building the window display. The group glued 13,000 envelopes to backgrounds and bits of cardboard individually.
“Once I woke, I was distracted by the window. Then I started to think about stock that we could put on it.
The team added all final details as they approached 5am in order to be absolutely perfect for Madeleine’s inspection.
Lisa stated that six consecutive night shifts had been completed by the team and they were now ‘hitting a brick wall’.
Hannah stated that Maddie’s opinions matter a lot. We want her happiness and we love her. I do feel nervous.’
One of the members of the team revealed that they had slept only two hours because they were racing to finish the window before the Christmas launch.
Arriving at the store at 7am to inspect the festive window, Madeleine said: ‘I am genuinely nervous about this theme, I think maybe we needed something more traditional Christmas and fuzzy after this year.’
She surveyed the windows and asked her colleagues: “How simple is it for me to get back in these windows?”
She started listing the changes she wanted to make to the window.
She continued: “What’s that funny little mark in the wheel?” This isn’t readable – it’s too confusing.
Madeleine, despite the amazing Christmas decorations and team effort, admitted she was nervous about the theme since it wasn’t traditionally Christmasy and fuzzy.
She makes her last changes after making them.
However, many people watching her comment for the team left them stunned. One said: “Christmas at Liberty is making my sick.
A complete bunch of pretentious snobs that clearly don’t live in real life. These people are among the most deplorable.
One wrote, “If I worked hard on a project, and Madeleine comes along to critique it, after a long night of sleep, then I would put her in the window display, but outside the glass.