JOHN Lewis has got TV viewers sobbing with its Christmas ad about a penguin, while Sainsbury’s sparked controversy with its use of the 1914 Christmas truce in the trenches in its festive campaign. Have you rush out and bought a cuddly Monty the penguin? Is the Sainsbury's add in poor taste? We asked whether this year's Christmas ads are working for you.

John Lewis ad - Monty the penguin has got the nation talking

NICOLA WATER, 34, CANVEY MUM

"My favourite has got to be the one from Sainsbury’s. It’s quite close to my heart, because my partner is a soldier and has been for 18 years. The advert really made me think it was such a shame there has to be a war and that things couldn’t be that way all the time. In spite of that, it definitely hasn’t changed my shopping habits, though it has made me think more about giving to others."

TREVOR DAY, ORGANISER OF WICKFORD, RAYLEIGH, ROCHFORD AND SOUTHEND MARKETS

"I’m not sure how much impact they have on people, in terms of making them go to one shop, but they certainly plant that seed and get people in the Christmassy mood. If they make people go out shopping in general, then they’re a good thing. Even if our stalls on the market don’t sell anything particularly Christmassy, then people still put up a few decorations because it’s just part of the whole Christmas spirit that the adverts help contribute to."

THE REV DAVID TUDOR, TEAM RECTOR OF CANVEY

"Sainsbury’s really has trumped John Lewis this year.

"It is so timely to look back at the war, a most dreadful period of history and at a moment of peace in all the madness. It’s a lovely message but I don’t believe it has changed my shopping habits.

"Of course God speaks to us in many, many ways and I don’t think you can say a message comes in this way or that way.

"I wouldn’t say the Christmas message is being lost in ads."

ADAM CRANE, LICENSEE, THE TRAVEELER’S JOY PUB, RAYLEIGH

"A few years ago, I never used to remember the adverts being such a big deal. I’ve not seen the Sainsbury’s ad this year, but they’re so big now that a bit of controversy about an ad made the ten o’clock news. Our Christmas Day meals sold out about six weeks ago and we didn’t have to do any real advertising for that, so I’m not sure how worthwhile big adverts are.

"People will always shop at Christmas."

Have Sainsbury's exploited the centenary of the First World War commencing?

JOE MANDER, 18, OF GAINSBOROUGH AVENUE, CANVEY

"As a film-maker I would say my favourite Christmas advert this year has to be the Sainsbury’s one. It’s got a real film quality to it and I think that’s part of the reason it stands out so much. Also the length of it. It fills up a whole ad break. The whole style of it is different from the others and it’s not just focused on selling a product. But judging from what people are saying on Facebook and Twitter, it is influencing people – with some not comfortable about a supermarket using war to sell."

NICKY THIRKETTLE, 44, RAYLEIGH MUM

"My favourite would always be John Lewis, but I am a bit biased. I have worked for them, so it is quite a loyal vote. I guess with the Sainsbury’s advert, if it gets people to go in and buy the chocolate, then people won’t just go in to buy chocolate will they? They’ll shop while they’re there. I’m not sure how much of an influence the ads really do have, though. I’d go in and shop in John Lewis anyway, despite the ad."

MIKE STEPTOE, ROCHFORD COUNCILLOR AND OWNER OF STEPTOE’S GARAGE, SHOEBURY

"The ads are becoming a bit of a Christmas tradition now.

"They may not be selling anything particularly overtly in the ad itself, but they keep the name out there. Even before the ad is first shown, people were discussing what might be the John Lewis ad this year, so they seem to work in terms of getting people talking. The production quality seems to be getting better and better as well.

"The Sainsbury’s one must have taken a lot of money and effort."

CAROL DUTTON, 67, OF THORPE ROAD, HAWKWELL

"The Sainsbury’s one is the one to get everyone talking this year. You can look at it and question if they should be using something like that subject matter in an advert, but I think it’s so well done they just get away with it.

"Like a lot of people, I don’t really watch the ads any more, though. I rarely watch anything live, I’ll record something and fast-forward through the ads, so it makes you wonder if spending all that money on TV ads will worth it for much longer."