Walton Goggins is having a very Muppet Christmas. Walmart has launched the first installment of its holiday campaign, pairing Goggins with Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy and a cast of Muppets in a reimagining of The Muppet Christmas Carol.
The long-form spot extends Walmart’s “Who Knew?” platform into the holidays, with Goggins stepping into the role of Scrooge and moving from “humbug” to “Who knew?”
The team developed the work through Dept W and Pub W, Publicis Groupe’s Power of One Walmart model, bringing together Fallon, Leo New York, the community, Digitas, and Zenith.
Rather than simply recreating familiar scenes, the campaign, directed by Randall Einhorn of Radical Media, introduces three new Muppet ghosts, each tied to a Walmart message: The Ghost of Christmas Presents for assortment, The Ghost of Christmas Deals to Come for Black Friday savings, and The Ghost of Christmas Fast for delivery.
It also introduces Bagsy, a new Muppet inspired by a Walmart shopping bag. Watch below:
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“The real creative job was taking that multi-generational affection and turning it into something funny, sharp and current that cuts right through the usual holiday noise,” Fallon CEO Nikki Baker told LBB.
Baker said the team worked closely with The Muppets Studio on custom music, detailed sets, Easter eggs and the new characters, while preserving the spirit of the original film.
Goggins is joined by Stephanie Beatriz as Scrooge’s niece, along with Kermit, Miss Piggy and Pepé the Prawn.
“Our approach is always, ‘Yes, but make it Walmart,’” Baker said.
The campaign is running across broadcast, streaming, online video, social, out-of-home, podcasts, digital and creator networks.
For Walmart, the formula is simple: take one of Christmas’ most beloved stories, add Goggins, add Muppets, and give Scrooge a retail makeover.
CREDITS:
AGENCY: Leo New York
AGENCY: Fallon
Chief Executive Officer: Nikki Baker
AGENCY: the community
PRODUCTION COMPANY: RadicalMedia US
- Director: Randall Einhorn
- President: Frank Scherma
- Head of Production: Andrea McIntyre
- Producer: Matt Day
- Director of Photography: Craig Kief
- Production Designer: Josh Locy
POST / VFX: Union Editorial
- Managing Director: Caryn Maclean
- Executive Producer: Melissa Lubin
- Producer: Lily Hartmann
- Editor: Merritt Duff
- Editor: Karen Kourtessis
- Editor: Chris Walker
- Editor: Ryan Stacom
- Editor: Nico Gilmore
- Editor: Artemis Tapliga
- Edit Assistant: Joseph Garst
