Hails & Fails – November 21st 2025
From AI jokes done right to AI nightmares, this week’s campaigns showed just how big the gap is between clever creativity and chaotic misfires. Icelandair leaned into humour and hype, Waitrose kept its Christmas momentum going with another standout activation, and Ralph Lauren delivered festive magic with a luxurious twist. Meanwhile at Côte Brasserie… well, let’s just say not all AI art is created equal.
HAILS
Icelandair asks whether Iceland is AI-generated
Icelandair has played a blinder with a brilliantly funny campaign questioning whether Iceland is “too beautiful to be real”. By poking fun at AI absurdity while showing off the country’s waterfalls, lava fields and northern lights, the ad manages to be smart, current and genuinely laugh-out-loud. A perfect blend of humour and wanderlust that ultimately makes you want to book a flight.
Waitrose turns BFI IMAX into ‘Piemax’
Fresh off winning this year’s Christmas ad season (in Brazen’s humble opinion), Waitrose is keeping the momentum going with a bold, eye-catching activation. Renaming the BFI IMAX as the ‘Piemax’, the brand has built directly on the success of its smash-hit festive ad, showing ambition, confidence and brilliant follow-through. What a Christmas run it’s been. Now let’s see if the sales reflect it.
Ralph Lauren brings festive charm to Chelsea
With Christmas pop-ups everywhere, it takes something special to stand out, and Ralph Lauren has nailed it. Its new holiday experience in Chelsea delivers a cosy East Coast winter vibe in the heart of London, complete with gorgeous styling and polished detail. It looks premium, festive and totally transportive. Someone get us there for a mulled wine, immediately.
FAIL
Côte Brasserie overshadowed by creepy AI mural
A massive AI-generated Christmas mural has appeared above Côte Brasserie in Kingston, and Londoners are baffled. While it’s unclear who actually commissioned the artwork, the restaurant is the one taking the heat as the surreal, uncanny, slightly nightmarish image spreads online. It’s a stark reminder of how badly things can go when we lean on AI without proper human oversight.
