General Mills : Fan inspires remake of Cheerios Christmas commercial

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Dec 17, 2020 • By Hanna Johnson

It's not every day that a fan gets to pitch a commercial idea to a brand like Cheerios and then see that idea come to life.

But that's what happened whenCori Spruiellposted a video on TikTok suggesting General Mills remake its iconic 1999 Cheerios Christmas commercialfor the 2020 holiday season.

Here's a look back at the 1999 commercial.

Happy Holidays from Cheerios, 1999 Cheerios Commercial

'Our team was really excited when we saw her post because we felt like it was such a true insight on what is going on today,' says Taylor Roseberry, assistant brand experience manager, Cheerios. 'In re-watching that 1999 commercial, it brought back so much joy. We felt really inspired by it. So, we quickly pulled a group together to figure out how we could respond to Cori's video.'

The team connected with Spruiell, collaboratedwith her on a planfor the new commercial, and from there, the spot was brought to lifein just a few short weeks.

'I had no idea that my TikTokwould capture the emotions of my followers and I'm still blown away that Cheerios would move so quickly and creatively to bring the new video to life,' says Spruiell. 'I can't wait for people to see this modern-day take on the classic Cheerios commercial - grab your tissues!'

And not only did Cheerios remake the commercial, but they also called up theoriginal actresses who played the grandmotherand granddaughter and asked them to be in it.

The new commercial shows the two 20 years later, continuing their Christmas breakfast tradition in today's socially distanced world.

Take a look!

A 2020 remake of our 1999 classic. Happy Holidays from Cheerios.

'It was delightful on all levels,' says PeggyMiley, the grandmother. 'The 1999 edition was my favorite of all the commercials I've done, and it is still timely today.'

Miley, now 79 years old, is still working as an actor in Los Angeles.

'After the original, I was often asked if I was the 'Cheerios Grandma'and it was very nice to have done something that reflects on the nicest aspect of family life. I am blessed to still be working and enjoying it so much.'

'It was a fun surprise,' adds Delfina Booth, the granddaughter. 'I did not expect to hear from Cheerios again - especially since the original spot was filmed so long ago.'

The team shot each of them separately, following COVID-19 safety guidelines.

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'We want the commercial to remind viewers that regardless of distance, we can still keep traditions alive,' says Roseberry. 'We also want to emphasize how important it is, especially this year, to make sure we're connecting with our loved ones over the holiday season, no matter where they are.'

Like the commercial, Miley and Booth are finding creative ways to stay connected with their loved onesthis holiday season.

'I'm a big family person - I've never spent Christmas away from my family,' says Miley. 'This year, Christmas will be celebrated mostly on Zoom.'

'I have been having regular Zoom calls where I talk with all my extended family members,' adds Booth. 'My cousins and I actually just put together a music video for my grandparents with their favorite song. Hopefully, that will be a nice little surprise for them. We plan to share it with them on Christmas!'

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Hanna Johnson is a corporate communications associate at General Mills, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She manages 'A Taste of General Mills,' and helps represent the company on various social media sites, and contributes to the company intranet and website. She began her career at General Mills in 2019. More posts by this author