05 Dec Christmas Ads Blog Part 2… The offbeat, the cheeky and the unexpected
Because they’ve just been too good this year… we’re coming back at you with the sequel to our festive ads round-up using a slightly unorthodox approach. Last time, we dove into the classics… the Waitrose Keira rom-com, JL’s father-son story and a brilliantly Aardman Wallis & Gromit scene for Barbour. This time, we’re taking a look at the alternative, offbeat and viral ads and clips that have hit our screens since. Some of 2025’s most memorable festive moments come from creators who’ve gone completely off script..
The team at Ring doorbell HQ (former Product of the Year winner over here!) might have been surprised to find they’d gone viral after a group of Scottish schoolboys sent their social engagement soaring. Scotland’s unofficial “alt Christmas ad” from the cheeky would-be pranksters, was an unexpected moment that sparked joy. Charming, scrappy and entirely unrehearsed, the clip shows the teen crew carolling on a stranger’s Ring doorbell – badly – with comic timing so natural it outperformed many big-budget campaigns. It went viral not because it was slick, but because it was a genuine, real-life moment. A celebration of mischievous teenage energy and true community spirit.
Equally offbeat but slightly more planned is regional burger joint, The Beefy Boys’ Home Alone spoof, a low-budget parody that leans full-tilt into silliness. Instead of heartstring-pulling nostalgia, we get a chaotic take on Kevin McCallister’s booby-trapped holiday – this time centred on burgers, banter and tongue-in-cheek self-awareness. It’s irreverent, self-made and proudly ridiculous, and that’s why it works.
And then there’s the glossy end of the alternative spectrum: Mariah Carey’s “It’s tiiiime” collab with Sephora. The soundtrack to Xmas parties around the world since ’94, this time of year wouldn’t be the same without our favourite diva. It’s knowingly camp, extravagantly festive and completely self-aware – Mariah emerging as the literal spirit of Christmas beauty. While not a spoof, it taps into the same cultural appetite for ads that play with their own image, leaning on humour, hyper-glamour and a knowing wink.
Fun, laughter and togetherness is what Christmas is all about and these ads have that by the sack-load. That completes our Xmas ads two-part series. Now, where’s the sherry and mince pies?