British department store Marks and Spencer kicked off the holiday season by releasing a Christmas advertisement showcasing the ultimate destruction of all the usual Christmas traditions.
The ad had to have been created by the grinch himself, or maybe someone who hates the holidays even more than he does. The video shows celebrities Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Tan France destroying all the things people typically associate with the festivities, including board games, gingerbread houses, holiday cards and an Elf on the Shelf. This is the most anti-Christmas Christmas ad we’ve seen, and although the rebellion is fun to watch, it certainly isn’t going to increase the retailer’s bottom line with clothing sales.
Sound the klaxon, our clothing and home Christmas ad for 2023 is here! #LoveThismasNotThatmas pic.twitter.com/uI0tKNnIGc
— M&S (@marksandspencer) November 1, 2023
If the idea of setting a gingerbread house ablaze or lighting Christmas cards on fire appeals to you, this will soon become your favorite ad.
The scene begins with a picturesque setting. It screams Christmas fun, as family and friends dress up in their holiday best and make their way through a fully decorated home. They begin by playing board games and spending quality time together. The hosts begrudgingly glue a child’s snowman sculpture back together, and put a homemade toilet-paper-roll angel on top of the tree instead of a decorative star.
The clip is set to an edited version of Meatloaf’s song, “I Would Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That),” and the song is a perfect reflection of the rebellious scenes that ensue. The picture-perfect gathering quickly evolves into a squashing of all the activities people feel pressured to do during the holidays.
Ellis-Bextor gets into the mix by destroying things that have made her stressed, including a poor little Elf on The Shelf … the toy that represents one of the most traditional, beloved elements of the season takes a real beating in the clip. At one point, Zawe Ashton launches the poor elf into the sky.
France walks into the middle of a Monopoly game that is apparently far too boring for his liking, and launches the board up high, as all the pieces fly into the air. Many of them find a landing place in an aquarium and sink down in the water. France looks relieved as soon as he lets his rage out. (RELATED: ‘How The Grinch Stole Christmas!’ Is Getting A Sequel More Than 60 Years Later)
The angry, anti-traditional-Christmas ad is funny as hell. However, it’ll probably do nothing to promote Marks and Spencer’s clothes, at a time when clever advertisements are required to persuade consumers to shop until they drop despite the high inflation rate.
If you’re already “bah humbug” about the whole festive season crap — this one’s for you.