Cheerios Remakes Iconic 1999 Commercial For the 2020 Holiday Season
By Heather Taylor
In 1999, a Grandma shared the story of how she travelled to visit her grandchild with the help of Cheerios. She uses pieces of Cheerios cereal to illustrate where grandma lives and where the grandbaby lives on the grandchild’s high chair.
However far family members may be, Grandma promises — linking two Cheerios side by side — that Grandma and grandbaby will always be together.
Flash forward to 2020. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, being together during the holiday season looks a bit different. This year, Cheerios has recreated its iconic 1999 spot to show that no matter where we may be physically, we will always be connected through family togetherness.
“Holiday Traditions”
It is December 2020 and a homemade ornament hanging from a Christmas tree commemorates baby’s first Christmas with Grandma. A young adult woman hears her doorbell ring. There is a box of Cheerios on the doorstep. A small Post-it note attached to the box reads “Call me, Grandma.”
The young woman uses FaceTime to call her Grandma — and guess what? It’s Peggy Miley, the original Grandma from the 1999 Cheerios commercial!
“You’re late!” she says to her grown-up granddaughter.
“Merry Christmas to you too, Grandma,” her granddaughter chuckles.
Grandma, in a nod to her iconic debut, uses Cheerios during the call to emphasize every other family member she mailed boxes of Cheerios for the holidays.
Behind the Scenes
The inspiration to recreate this Cheerios commercial has an unusual source: the social media platform TikTok.
TikTok influencer Cori Spruiell shared a video begging General Mills to release an updated version of the nostalgic Cheerios commercial. The new commercial should reflect the current COVID-19 landscape, complete with a Zoom call between the grown-up grandchild and Grandma since family members must social distance in 2020.
“If you work for General Mills, please make this happen!” Spruiell said.
General Mills, and Cheerios, moved quickly to fulfill the thoughtful and creative request. Miley, now 79, returns for her role as the Grandma. Now, the commercial has more emotional meaning and purpose than ever before.
“Family togetherness is at the heart of this 20-year-old, iconic Cheerios commercial and that’s something that isn’t going to be physically possible for many this holiday season,” said Kathy Dixon, Senior Brand Experience Manager for Cheerios.
“Many of our fans remember the grandma character and the baby from the original spot so, what better time than now to refresh the commercial, empathize with our audiences and capture today’s reality.”
General Mills, and Cheerios, moved quickly to fulfill the thoughtful and creative request. Miley, now 79, returns for her role as the Grandma. Now, the commercial has more emotional meaning and purpose than ever before.
Cheers to keeping traditions alive — and happy holidays!
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