Break out the Kleenex again. Kroger has kicked off the holiday season with a heartfelt new campaign centered on the theme of togetherness and the power of food to unite. Titled “The Case of the Disappearing Food,” this holiday film, developed by Kroger’s AOR, adam&eveDDB New York, tells a moving story through the eyes of Kroger’s animated characters, affectionately known as Krojis.
The film follows a young boy who notices that his older neighbor seems lonely and decides to bring a little holiday magic to her life. As his family prepares for a festive dinner, his parents realize that food keeps vanishing from their holiday spread.
The mystery unfolds as they discover that the boy has been taking food to his neighbor, surprising her with a holiday feast that rekindles her seasonal spirit. Set to the nostalgic tune of Lonely People by America, the story emphasizes the simple but powerful message that sharing food can also mean sharing love and kindness. Watch below:
In addition to the main campaign, Kroger has collaborated with alma DDB, adam&eveDDB’s sister agency, to release a Spanish-language ad titled “The Gift of Teaching.” This spot honors the tradition of passing down recipes and family customs, focusing on a grandmother teaching her blind grandson the steps to make a beloved family tamale recipe. Watch below:
Stuart Aitken, Kroger’s Senior Vice President and Chief Merchant & Marketing Officer, reflected on the campaign’s core message, saying, “At Kroger, we understand how food can transcend differences, cure loneliness, and speak from our hearts in a way that words cannot. This film beautifully captures the power of food to bring people together and express kindness. We hope this message—share your food, share your heart—inspires families, friends, and neighbors to open their tables and celebrate the simple joy of togetherness this holiday season.”
Kroger offers a “Shop the Scene” experience in select areas to further engage audiences. Hulu viewers watching National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation will see a QR code on screen, which links to recipes inspired by the movie’s iconic dinner scene.
From there, they can easily add ingredients to their cart for pickup or delivery at their local Kroger, making it easier than ever to bring the magic of holiday films to their own table. “Shop the Scene” will be available on Hulu in select markets from November 15 through December 29.
Kroger’s holiday campaign will run across Netflix, cable TV, streaming platforms, and the Internet, with ads available through January 1. The campaign can also be viewed online.
CREDITS:
BRAND: Kroger
- Chief Merchant & Marketing Officer: Stuart Aitken
- VP Marketing: Tom Duncan
- Director of Brand Media: Kay Vizon
- Senior Brand Managers: Karrie Pukstas, Lindsey Hasis
- Assistant Brand Manager: Kate Mosure
- Sr. Manager Media Partnerships Lead: Sophia Sendrowski
- Integrated Media Strategist: Sarah Berkov
- Head of Corporate Communications & Media Relations: Holly Stutz Smith
AGENCY: adam&eveDDB – New York
- Chief Creative Officer: Richard Brim
- Chief Executive Officer: Caroline Winterton
- Managing Director: James Rowe
- Executive Creative Directors: Jason Ashlock, Paulo Junger
- Senior Art Director: Reid Plaxton
- Senior Copywriter: Allegra Wiesenfeld
- Executive Director Strategy: Stu Harrison
- Group Strategy Director: Baxter Holland
- Strategy Director: Gracie McNeely
- Senior Strategist: Annie Dreyer
- Head of Production: Teri Altman
- Senior Producer: Elizabeth Stebner
- Group Business Affairs Manager: Kelly McCann
- Executive Director: Alan Perlman
- Group Business Director: Samantha Gen
- Account Director: Maggie Williams
- Account Supervisor: Livy Jacobson
- Account Executive: Caitlin Braudis
- Program Director: Nicole Spaeth
- Project Manager: Nicole Andonova
AGENCY: alma DDB Team
- Planning: Paola Villalobos
- Creative Team: Virgilio Flores, Monica Marulanda, Bruno Trad, Luis Rivero, Aina Zaragoza
- Content & Experience Team: Ivana Juarez, Alejandra Gonzalez, Alejandra Guzman, Alexa Janeiro
- Production Team: Natalia Plazas, Jessica Dana
- Project Management: Andrea Alvarez, Connie Guglieri
- Accounts Team: Meg Valls, Adriana Pineda, Barbie Marins, Leisly Esquivel
PRODUCTION COMPANY: Hornet
- Director: Andrew Coats
- CG Supervisor: George Smaragdis
- Executive Producer: Marty Geren
- Senior Producer: Hanna Fuller
- Senior Editor: Anita Chao
- CG Lead: Angie Rivera
- Art Director: Justin Burks
- Concept Artist: Hannah Kim
- Designer: Christy Lundy
- Storyboard Artist: Camillo Clauser
- CG Animators: HeeJin Kim, Nicholas Christie, Tom Shek
- CG Animation Intern: Gus McClain
- Look Dev/Lighters: Alvin Bae, Ieva Callender, Mirelle Underwood, Sylvia Apostol
- Compositors: Bashir Hamid, Matt St. Leger, Ted Wiggin
- Junior Compositor: Ria Shinde
- Modelers: Constance Benson, August Park
- Riggers: Carlos Sandoval, August Park
- Production Coordinator: Ryann Rezza
- Talent Coordinator: Jon Chun
- Managing Partner: Hana Shimizu
- Director of Production: Karen Lawler
- Head of Creative Development: Kristin Labriola
- Head of Production: Dez Stavracos
AUDIO: Heard City
- Audio Engineers: Stefano Campello, Jeremy Seigel
- Producer: Nick Duvarny
MUSIC:
- Music Supervision: Leland
- Music Supervisors: Toby Williams, Dhamirah Coombes
- Music Licensing: Clearly
- Licensing Supervision: Linda Bres
REELated:
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