Overview
- Posted November 1 as a paid partnership, the video shows Billy Eichner as an elf declaring a strike and pawning products for “elf therapy” before Carey restores Christmas and delivers Sephora bags, and it has drawn more than 200 million views on Instagram and TikTok.
- TikTok creator Raygina George posted a seven-part critique topping 1.3 million views, labeling the ad “corporate gaslighting” and arguing it mirrors real struggles over healthcare costs and labor.
- Other users objected to the snowman transformation and “cancel Christmas” gag, saying the ad mocks worker actions and current boycott efforts, with some calling for a Sephora boycott or a Thanksgiving blackout.
- As of the latest reports, Sephora and Carey had not issued a public response to the criticism despite media requests for comment.
- A marketing strategist told Newsweek that high-profile celebrity-brand campaigns need tougher early-stage scrutiny and stress testing given today’s sensitivity and social-media amplification.