This Christmas, a television advertisement is breaking from tradition in the most startling way imaginable. Released by PETA UK, the campaign has been labelled by many as potentially the darkest festive advert ever created, deliberately designed to shock viewers into a conversation about what is on their Christmas plates.
A Festive Scene Turns to Horror
The 60-second film, released on November 16, 2025, opens on a familiar scene: a family gathered around the table, cheerfully tucking into a traditional Christmas dinner complete with turkey and ham. They chat and laugh about everyday topics, embodying the quintessential British holiday.
However, the mood shifts dramatically into horror. As each person begins to eat their meal, their faces are suddenly splattered with blood. The ghastly transformation continues, with more and more blood covering the table and the diners themselves. The most disturbing part? The family remains entirely oblivious, continuing to laugh and eat as if nothing is amiss.
The advert concludes with a stark, full-screen message: ‘more than 180million animals are slaughtered in the UK each festive season’.
Campaign Aims and Vegan Message
The campaign for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is scheduled to run in cinemas throughout December. Its explicit goal is to make audiences critically consider the origin of the food they consume during the holidays.
In a statement addressing the provocative content, PETA clarified that all the food featured in the video was, in fact, vegan. This was a conscious decision to demonstrate that ‘there’s an animal-friendly version of everything these days’.
Elisa Allen, PETA Vice President of Programmes, elaborated on the campaign's message. ‘Behind every trussed-up turkey, holiday ham, or beef wellington was an individual who felt pain and fear and didn’t want to die’, she said. ‘PETA urges everyone to choose compassion over carnage this Christmas by tucking into a savoury vegan roast.’
A Stark Contrast to Heartwarming Supermarket Ads
PETA's shocking campaign arrives in a year otherwise dominated by heartwarming content from major supermarkets, creating a stark contrast. While brands like John Lewis rely on warmth and humour, PETA leans entirely into discomfort to provoke a reaction.
John Lewis's 2025 offering, widely praised, focuses on a music-loving father and son, exploring how a thoughtful gift can express unspoken emotions. It is set to the 1990s dance track ‘Where Love Lives’ and is seen as a strong contender for the year's best advert.
Meanwhile, a separate fly-on-the-wall advert featuring families of seriously ill children spending Christmas at Great Ormond Street Hospital has been described as the one most likely to move the public to tears.
PETA's advert, however, carves its own niche. It forgoes sentimental melodies and emotional storytelling for a direct, visceral confrontation with the reality of industrial farming, ensuring it will be one of the most talked-about campaigns of the 2025 festive season.
