Santa Claus might be known for rewarding good behaviour, but Oreo has shown off his mischievous side in its latest Christmas campaign, where stealing his favourite cookies comes with a price.
Titled ‘Santa’s Favorite Cookie’, the new 30-second spot has put a playful spin on the holiday tradition of leaving milk and cookies out for Santa.
It introduced a father who finds it difficult to resist helping himself before the big arrival. After sneaking a bite out of the Oreos intended for Santa, the dad wakes up on Christmas morning to discover that someone has been helping themselves to his presents too. His stocking, golf clubs, television and even the remote have all been left with bite marks.
The culprit? Santa, who appears to have taken the cookie theft personally. The film ended with Santa Claus putting his feet up, enjoying an Oreo dunked in milk, while the message to the dad is simple: get your own.
The campaign marks Oreo’s first new Christmas ad in five years, following its 2021 ‘Ding Dong’ campaign, which featured Santa enlisting the help of a snowman and a yeti to deliver Oreos.
This time, the brand swapped the traditional festive storytelling for a comedy-led approach, turning a holiday tradition into a back-and-forth between Santa and the parents who are supposed to keep the cookies safe.
The creative was developed by No Notes, the content studio founded by comedian and Saturday Night Live star Colin Jost. Production was handled by Good Company and Merchant, with Publicis Production providing consulting support and Dentsu managing social.
The campaign has 15 and 30-second versions that run across Amazon, streaming and connected TV, alongside Meta, TikTok, Pinterest, Snapchat, YouTube and Oreo’s owned channels.
The return to seasonal advertising comes as the Mondelēz-owned brand looks to put its biscuits back into the Christmas mix.
