PETA and Grey London are taking direct aim at the holiday dinner table with Happy Christmassacre. This provocative new campaign strips Christmas of its cozy veneer, revealing the cruelty hidden beneath. The work spans cinema, social, and OOH, urging consumers to rethink what, and who, ends up on their plates.
December is framed as a season of joy, generosity, and indulgence. But behind the celebratory sparkle lies the mass slaughter of animals for festive feasts. Happy Christmassacre pushes audiences to confront that reality and consider choosing a vegan Christmas instead.
At the center of the campaign is a darkly funny, deliberately unsettling two-minute film directed by Emmy and Cannes Lions winner David Shane of O Positive. What begins as a familiar, postcard-perfect holiday dinner slowly devolves into what feels like a trailer for Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving, exposing the violence often ignored in the spirit of tradition. Watch the 2-minute film below:
That subversive twist extends to the OOH. Santa’s iconic red-and-white suit is reimagined using tight close-ups of mottled, stained animal pelts — a jarring juxtaposition that shifts the symbol of holiday cheer into a stark reminder of the cost behind celebration.
The PETA campaign rolls out this season across UK cinemas, global digital platforms (with a social focus on the UK, Germany, and the US), and nationwide OOH placements. London will see an extra layer of guerilla fly-postings designed to stop holiday shoppers in their tracks.
Grey London’s creative leadership and PETA’s advocacy come together to challenge audiences to look beyond tradition and sentiment — and toward compassion. The message is simple: if Christmas is truly about goodwill, maybe it’s time to let that extend to what’s being served for dinner.
CREDITS:
BRAND: PETA
AGENCY: GREY, LONDON
- Chief Creative Officer: Helen Rhodes
- Chief Strategic Officer: Tarek Sioufi
- Managing Director: Jonny Tennant-Price
- Head of Creative Operations: James McNichol
- Creative Director: Sam Haynes
- Creative Director: John Gibson
- Head of Production: Maxine Hose
- Senior Producer: Lizzie Mabbott
- Junior Producer: Alicia Cordell
- Group Business Director: Tamsine Foggin
- Account Director: Hugo Soer
- Design Director: Sarah Burns
- Motion Designer: Tyrone Zall
- Artworker: Nigel Miller
- Junior Strategist: Serena Coyle
- Senior Production Affairs Manager: Melissa Beeson
- Senior Production Affairs Manager: Sarah Scarlett
- Senior Project Manager: Anisha Chandarana
PRODUCTION COMPANY: O POSITIVE
- Director: David Shane
- Producer: Nell Jordan
- EP: Nell Jordan / Ralph Laucella / Marc Grill
- DP: Chris Sabogal
- Prod Designer: Kem White
- PM: Polly Leach
- Casting: Michael Cox @ Hammond Cox
- Editor: Gavin Cutler @ Mack Cut
- Edit Assistant: Louisa Phillips @ Mack Cut
- Music: APM Music
- Sound: Jonny Platt @ Runamok
- Cinema Mix: Mike Bovill @ 750mph
VFX STUDIO: Untold Studio
- EP: Ian Berry
- Snr Producer: Elle Lockhart
- Production Assistant: Alisa Hussain
- VFX Supervisor: Alex Grey
- VFX Lead: Andrew Curtis
- VFX Artist: Sam Curtis
- Online: Andrew Curtis
COLOR: Untold Studios
- Colorist: Julien Alary
- Color Producer: Eli Sandal
OOH PRODUCTION:
- Photographer / Director: James Day
- Producer: Siobhan Squire
- Model Maker: Ben Millar
- Stills Post Production: Dennis Tuffnell
- Moving Post Production: Digital Light
- Build Hollywood: Media
REELated:
John Lewis says if you can’t find the words, find the gift
