Glad Drops Rubbish-Filled Musical Number with Oscar the Grouch

Trash bag and food wrap brand, Glad has revived its most popular, decades-long, star-studded ad campaign, 'Don't Get Mad. Get Glad.' For the first time ever, the campaign doesn't feature a human celebrity, but the original grouch himself, Oscar, starring in a musical number about a world that loves trash as much as he does. Oscar's Glad debut comes on the heels of Sesame Street's newest season.

Glad is proving that trash doesn't have to add to the mess. Who better to turn trash frustration into fun?

"No one feels more strongly about trash than Oscar the Grouch, so we knew we had to reach out to Sesame Street for the relaunch of 'Don't Get Mad. Get Glad,'" said Kellie Li, marketing director at Glad. "Our intention behind this campaign is to show that trash doesn't have to be associated with a feeling of ick, avoidance, or grouchiness; thanks to Glad trash bags, taking out the trash doesn't have to be a chore."

The campaign from FCB Chicago centres around a musical number directed by award-winning directors, Will Speck and Josh Gordon. The Broadway-esque film opens in a familiar place: Oscar being grouchy and people tolerating, but not loving, trash. Suddenly, it blossoms into a joyous remix of Oscar's classic song 'I Love Trash,' reimagined for today's world. Instead of singing a solo ballad to his beloved trash, Oscar imagines a world where he's joined in song by others who love it as much as he does. In it, Glad products keep people from 'getting mad' at rips, smells, and leaks.

"If there's one thing anyone who has ever watched Sesame Street knows, it's that Oscar the Grouch loves trash," said Jennifer Ahearn, senior vice president, global strategic partnerships at Sesame Workshop, the global non-profit behind Sesame Street. "We were excited to team up with Glad for their iconic campaign with our grouchy green friend."

If 'Don't Get Mad. Get Glad.' rings a bell, your memory serves you right. Since its original premiere back in 1987, 'Don't Get Mad. Get Glad.' has featured a rotating cast of celebrities getting mad at their underperforming trash and food storage products. This campaign has stood the test of time – just like Sesame Street.

Accompanying the musical number, Glad has created limited-edition Oscar-inspired trash bag totes. This December, fans can get their hands on a limited-edition green Oscar-fur-covered bag via a very special social giveaway – a playful nod to the OG trash lover himself. Fans can follow Glad (@gladproducts on Instagram and TikTok) to stay tuned for the giveaway.