Another year, another cringe-inducing Christmas advert from the national carrier - but perhaps this year's offering from Air New Zealand is a chance to reflect on the events of the past year.
New Zealand is no longer that country with accent nobody else understands, but is now famous for sendingunderage delegates to the UN. (Here's looking at you, Neve Ardern!)
This year's Christmas advert returns to Santa's grotto, but instead of deciphering the wishlists of Kiwi preschoolers it is Father Christmas who inadvertently sends a message to the world.
In a leaked memo of Santa's "naughty list" a gang of unruly New Zealand pupils discover they won't be getting any presents this year unless they mend their ways.
Make Christmas Great Again: The Kids at the model UN have an uncanny resemblance. Photo / Supplied
In what could be described as the plot of a never-aired House of Cards and Rugrats crossover, they enlist the help of Air New Zealand to summon the world's naughtiest children to a "summit" and pledge to change their past naughty ways.
The rather un-festive setting takes place in a model UN comprised of some naughty kids who bear an uncanny relation to their grown-up counterparts.
A dumpy delegate from the US in a red "Make Christmas Great Again" baseball cap appears to miss the point of the summit.
These cutesy Trumpian miniatures make a bunch of pledges such as "to reduce hair pulling" in the hope of redeeming themselves in time for a visit from Father Christmas.
Last year the Air New Zealand Christmas advert "Mirry Christmas" gained international attention. This previous video attracted 13 million views and won the Global Content award at the PRWeek Global Awards in London.
As Father Christmas read received calls from Kiwi kids he gets himself in a muck mishearing basket balls as "biscuit balls" and a "brand new beard".
However, this year's festive offering raises more questions than it answers, such as: What has this to do with Christmas?
The airline's brand manager Jodi Williams defended the setting, saying it suits the manic time of the year perfectly:
"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," she said.
Summit else: Air New Zealand's advert has a very unfestive setting. Photo / Supplied
The video auditioned more than 300 children of Air New Zealand employees to appear in the clip, before 17 were selected for the video with the airline's ground and cabin crew.
Will these kids live up to their promises or will they renege after Father Christmas has been and they get what they want? I supposed we'll have to wait until next Christmas to find out who's still on the naughty list.
