Bold collaboration: Oscar the Grouch revives Glad’s iconic “Don’t Get Mad. Get Glad.” campaign with a trash-tling musical twist.
Dive Brief
An image from the corner of Sesame Street and a trash bag brand. Glad, known for its bags and wraps, is bringing back its long-running “Don’t Get Mad. Get Glad.” campaign with a fresh twist featuring Oscar the Grouch. The two-minute musical spot imagines a world where everyone shares Oscar’s love for trash, while Glad products promise to keep odors and mess under control.
Published Dec. 4, 2025
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Dive Brief:
- Glad is reviving its decades-long campaign, prominently featuring Oscar the Grouch, according to a press release. A two-minute spot sets to a remix of Oscar’s classic “I Love Trash,” presenting a fantasy world in which trash is celebrated. The campaign emphasizes Glad products as solutions to common trash concerns like odor.
- In addition to the musical spot, Glad is distributing Grouch-inspired trash bag tote giveaways on TikTok and Instagram this month. This revival follows Sesame Street’s recent streaming arrangement with Netflix.
Dive Insight:
Glad has found a surprisingly fitting partner in Oscar the Grouch, the trash-obsessed muppet from Sesame Street. He becomes the brand’s first non-human celebrity collaborator, marking a notable extension for The Clorox Company’s portfolio. The collaboration follows Sesame Street’s May deal with Netflix to stream the show alongside PBS, its long-time home since 1969.
The latest iteration centers on a playful musical number about a world that embraces trash as Oscar does. The ad opens with Oscar questioning a passerby who’s whistling along to “I Love Trash,” asking, “I thought taking out the trash made you mad?” He learns that with Glad, the experience isn’t quite as bad as expected. The fantasy remix to “We Love Trash” features exuberant dancing and a showcase of Glad products. Directors Will Speck and Josh Gordon steer the creative.
Glad’s campaign will roll out in the U.S. and Canada across longer and shorter formats—long-form content, 30- and 15-second edits—and generate social teasers on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Reddit. Limited-edition Glad ForceFlex with Gain bags and Grouch-themed tote giveaways will drive social engagement on TikTok and Instagram. The approach aims to connect with younger audiences who feel nostalgic for Sesame Street while cultivating fresh brand affinity.
In April, Glad will also release special edition Oscar-branded boxes of Glad ForceFlex with Gain bags at Walmart, per the press materials. Campaign visuals feature Glad products such as Glad ForceFlex with Gain and Glad Cherry Blossom.
Context:
Glad’s revival of “Don’t Get Mad. Get Glad.” arrives as other brands revive beloved campaigns for contemporary audiences. The Clorox Company reported a net sales decline of 19% to $1.43 billion in the first quarter of its fiscal year 2026, driven mainly by lower shipments tied to a transition to a new enterprise resource planning system. Sesame Street’s Netflix deal expands its reach to a global audience of more than 300 million paid subscribers, while PBS continues to host the show in the United States. The streaming landscape has shifted, with Warner Bros. Discovery stepping back from as many distribution partnerships as in the past. Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit behind Sesame Street, oversees the program’s production and licensing.
Curious takeaways:
- Does pairing a beloved, non-human character with a household product line redefine how families interact with brand messaging?
- Can nostalgia-driven campaigns truly resonate with younger viewers who increasingly discover content on streaming platforms?
- What’s your view on brands reviving retro campaigns with contemporary celebrities or characters? Share your thoughts in the comments.
