Air New Zealand Bashes Trump in Christmas Ad Starring the World's Naughtiest Kids

Can they be nice and save themselves?

Air New Zealand makes the nice list of 2018 Christmas ads by focusing on the naughty. 

The carrier, best known for its elaborate safety demonstration videos, delivers a charming holiday spot with a promising setup: Santa Claus accidentally emails the naughty list to a kid in New Zealand, who finds himself and his friends on it—setting them on an elaborate mission to make up for their sins and be deemed nice once again. 

The plot is a global affair, featuring naughty kids from countries worldwide, including one from America who's wearing a version of a MAGA hat that reads, "Make Christmas Great Again." 

See the spot here: 

The Nicest Christmas Ever

The Trump joke is based on actual events from when the president spoke, and was mocked, at the United Nations back in September. 

"From childhood memories of writing to Santa, through to the drama of a festive tech fail, the heartwarming video plays on silly season moments in a very Kiwi way," brand manager Jodi Williams told the New Zealand Herald. 

The brand auditioned more than 300 children of Air New Zealand employees to appear in the clip, and selected 17 of them in the end. 

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Tim Nudd
Tim Nudd was editor in chief of the Clio Awards and editor of Muse by Clio from 2018 to 2023.

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