LONDON -- This advert is so unusual it's sort of hard to know where to start.
Robert Dyas, a chain of hardware stores found in the UK, released the above Christmas advert last Thursday. It's titled "We're Robert Dyas and we're gay. And Straight. And bi...", and it features various staff members and customers introducing themselves, saying what their sexuality is and then talking a bit about Robert Dyas and how much they love it.
"Hi my name's Marcus," says a staff member at the beginning of the video. "I work at Robert Dyas and I'm gay. I like going out with my friends and playing volleyball. I also like showing our gay and straight customers our funky range of Christmas gifts."
Later, a woman holds a spaghetti maker up to the camera and smiles. "I'm bi-sexual," she says, "and I always find something I love at Robert Dyas."
People really didn't know what to make of the advert.
Some people thought it was a bit ridiculous.
.@RobertDyas What in god's name were you thinking? The customer/staff's sexuality is completely irrelevant. This is baffling.— Galantini (@johngalantini) December 13, 2015
@RobertDyas weirdest ad ever.— Dave Lamont (@davelamontuk) December 13, 2015
Others loved it.
@RobertDyas your marketing people are bat shit crazy, but that #DyasComingOut video made me laugh, therefor it's a win. #Xmas— James Arthur Cattell (@jaCattell) December 13, 2015
Some, meanwhile, really didn't love it.
@RobertDyas there's nothing quite like a wildly misguided piece of marketing.— Craig Cooper (@plgrmco) December 13, 2015
Others weren't sure whether or not it was a joke.
@RobertDyas is this real or a parody? Lmao— Michael Davies (@mj_davies) December 14, 2015
@RobertDyas is that a real advert or someone's piss take? Say the latter. If the former please sack your head of marketing— Kevin Vincent (@kjvincent1979) December 13, 2015
So what's the deal? Is the advert just an unusual attempt to tackle stereotypes, or has it actually been craftily engineered with the hope of going viral?
A few people have made comparisons between the advert and this spoof furniture commercial from 2009 -- which has almost five-and-a-half million views -- which could suggest it's a parody after all.
There are definitely similarities, but who knows? For now, until Robert Dyas tells us more, it'll have to remain as one of the Internet's mysteries. Either way, it's definitely got people talking about their store.
Mashable has reached out to Robert Dyas for comment and we will update this article if we receive a response.