Glad just dropped the most unexpected and delightful collaboration of the holiday season. The nation’s leading trash bag brand teamed up with the one creature on Earth who truly loves garbage. Oscar the Grouch steps out of his can and onto center stage for a whole musical number that revives Glad’s classic “Don’t Get Mad. Get Glad.” campaign.
And yes, it absolutely slaps.
The ninety-second branded film, created by FCB (now TBWA) and directed by Will Speck and Josh Gordon, reimagines Oscar’s iconic song I Love Trash as a Broadway-style ensemble piece. We open on familiar territory. Oscar is grouchy. People are annoyed by trash. Nothing new there. But the world suddenly transforms into a joyful chorus where everyone embraces trash as passionately as Oscar does, all while Glad products save the day from rips, leaks and bad smells.
For the first time in the long history of the campaign, the celebrity lead is not human. It is the original green icon himself. With Sesame Street’s new season streaming on Netflix and PBS KIDS, the timing could not be better. Watch below:
“No one feels more strongly about trash than Oscar,” said Kellie Li, Marketing Director at Glad. “We wanted to bring fun back to the chore of taking out the trash. With Glad bags, it does not have to be a moment of frustration.”
Sesame Workshop was equally thrilled. “Anyone who has ever watched Sesame Street knows Oscar loves trash,” said Jennifer Ahearn, Senior Vice President of Global Strategic Partnerships. “Partnering with Glad felt natural for our grouchy green friend.”
For viewers feeling nostalgic, the spot taps directly into the rich legacy of “Don’t Get Mad. Get Glad.” The campaign dates back to 1987 and has starred everyone from sitcom favorites to household names smashing weak trash bags in frustration. Oscar is a perfect heir to the throne.
To celebrate the launch, Glad is releasing limited edition Oscar-inspired trash bag totes covered in green faux fur. Fans can win them through a December social giveaway on Instagram and TikTok. For those who miss out, Glad will release Oscar the Grouch-branded Glad ForceFlex with Gain boxes at Walmart beginning in April.
The musical film and its cutdowns are now running across the United States and Canada in long-form, thirty-second, and fifteen-second edits, along with social teasers on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Reddit in Canada.
This is one of those campaigns that reminds us what branded entertainment can be when agencies swing big. It is joyful, cinematic, self-aware, culturally smart and a whole lot of fun.
Glad helped Oscar sing about trash. Somehow, it feels like the most wholesome thing on the internet this week.
Colin Costello is the West Coast Editor of Reel 360 News. Contact him at colin@reel360.com or follow him on Twitter at @colinthewriter1
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