A smiling family toasts, passes out plates and chats about Christmas traffic while turkey and ham are generously served. But as the dinner unfolds, a torrent of fictional blood stains the diners, who continue to chew without flinching. The scene, grotesque and deliberately shocking, is part of PETA’s new Christmas advert, devised by the agency Gray London and directed by David Shane.

The campaign, which will be shown in cinemas in the United Kingdom throughout December, culminates with a figure: “This Christmas, more than 180 million animals will be slaughtered in the United Kingdom. Merry Christmassacre”. The organization’s goal is to invite reflection on the suffering that hides behind each carnivorous centerpiece and promote the transition to a vegan menu.

“Behind every carved turkey, every ham or beef wellington, there was a living being that felt fear, pain and did not want to die.”says Elisa Allen, Vice President of Programs at PETA. The piece, which combines visual irony with symbolic crudeness, seeks to shake consciences at a time of year when indulgence and disconnection with the origin of food abound.

Beyond the visual shock, the campaign also offers a practical guide to vegan barbecues and free starter kits for those who want to take the step. All foods used for the advertisement were 100% plant-based, demonstrating that it is possible to celebrate without contributing to animal suffering.

PETA thus reminds us that farm animals are not resources, but individuals: pigs react to music, cows establish emotional bonds, and turkeys care for their young. For this reason, the organization insists that choosing a vegan menu not only saves lives, but also drastically reduces the carbon footprint and risks to human health.