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Fast Company
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Fast Company
MAHA is betting on whole milk. Oatly is betting on coffee and punk
Dairy is having a moment. Influencers on social media are drinking raw milk, consumers are going back to cow's milk, and Republicans are pushing for whole milk's return to school cafeterias. But, while the plant-based milk world might appear in the rearview mirror, Oatly is leaning into coffee culture—and making some truly bizarre ads in the process. As part of a recent campaign called Blind Love, Oatly invited consumers to blind test whole milk and Oatly in coffee in a bizarre how-to video. In the accompanying ad, voiced by SNL alum Chris Parnell, the brand spoofed typical American pharmaceutical commercials, and presents a made up condition dubbed DOMP (Dormant Oatmilk Preference), to help viewers to 'diagnose themselves' and discover their oat milk preference in coffee. Oatly knows what it is doing. Studies show that Gen-Z is more responsive to 'absurd' tactics, and 72% of Gen Zers and millennials prefer humorous ads. It comes to no surprise then that oddball advertising is becoming increasingly common for Oatly (and other brands, too). Nutter Butter fills its TikTok with obscure brain rot content; Duolingo's owl faked his own death; and Wendy's irreverent comments have started a feud with Katy Perry. Yes, advertising is stranger than ever, but it's effective. 'We always do it in a strange way,' executive creative director at Oatly Michael Lee says. Late last year, the brand hired 31 professional Santas for a taste test switching milk and cookies with oat milk and croquembouche. Before that, another campaign featured ' auditions ' for an Oatly cooking show (spoiler: the casting tapes were the show). Oatly is very much in on the joke: on its website, the advertisement tab reads 'brainwashing.' The ad campaigns track with Oatly's marketing evolution. While the Swedish brand was born in 1994 targeting those with dairy allergies, it wasn't until 2013 when they shifted strategies to appeal to wider audiences, including a major redesign. The brand originally boasted muted packaging, but opted for a more rebellious rebrand as it entered the American market. Now Oatly's carton, covered with playful typography and quotes like 'wow no cow,' and 'it's like milk but made for humans,' is a staple in grocery store aisles and coffee shops. 'We had a very solid mission to convert dairy drinkers to plant based. But we were also human about it, and we had fun with it,' Lee says. 'We did a lot of stuff that was very provocative that other brands wouldn't have done, and so we had this kind of fearless, kind of punk quality.' The plant-based revolution is declining Just a few years ago, almond and oat lattes dominated orders, and recently more niche plant-based alternatives like pistachio milk have peaked consumer's interest, yet there is no denying alt-milk is taking a hit. From 2023 to 2024, whole milk saw a 1.6% increase in sales, while plant-based milks sales declined by 4.4%. For Oatly, its first quarter financial report revealed a 0.8% revenue decline compared to the same period the year prior, although it still expects to meet its first full year of profitable growth. While consumers with dietary restrictions will remain loyal to nondairy products, most of the time, picking between whole milk and alt-milk is a choice. 'The plant based group is really kind of a story of overlap,' Darren Seifer, executive director and industry advisor for consumer goods and food service at Circana, says. '90% of [alt-milk users] are also using traditional dairy items.' Like the perfect storm that allowed alt-milks to boom in the first place, a similar one is brewing elevating whole milk to cult status. Buzzwords like 'high protein,' 'low-sugar,' and 'gut healthy' can be naturally occurring features in dairy, making it an attractive choice for users. 'We've seen so far in the last year in traditional dairy, there's been a strong emphasis around health claims,' Seifer says. 'Aligning with the health trends that we see popping up, that's been helping to drive some of its growth. And again, because there is an overlap among those who use plant based it feels like it's drawing them away from it.' Additionally, financial factors like the higher price of alt-milk at a time of economic uncertainty might also be driving consumers away, Seifer explained, and cultural trends are also at play. 'We started to see people tell us that they're trying to get away from artificiality again,' Seifer says. From the rise of tradwives, Make America Healthy Again, and a disdain for oils, many consumers are now opting away from ultra-processed foods, artificial colors and sweeteners, and more. 'Define that as you wish, but that's just the terminology that was thrown out there,' he adds. 'And they might look at something like almond milk and say, well, that doesn't occur naturally, so it's processed.' Brewing culture In the midst of shifting trends, Oatly is doubling down on humor and culture. Specifically, it's tapping into coffee culture and baristas' expertise, going where consumers might first meet their product: in a coffee shop. 'We want it to be easy for people to engage with us. So it has to be fun, it has to be cool. It has to be part of culture. So, coffee kind of plays that role for us,' Lee says. Traveling from New York and Chicago, to London and Berlin, the over 60 baristas on staff spend time at coffee shops around the world, informing Oatly not only where culture is going, but how coffee fits into the mix. 'Every barista is not just a barista. They are tattoo artists. They're in a band, they're artists, they're designers. And so that was a perfect way for us to follow coffee into culture,' Lee added. 'Coffee culture is moving into fashion. It's moving into nightlife. It's moving into music. And since we have such a strong relationship with coffee, there's kind of a license for our brand to do that.' Leveraging the intersection of fashion and coffee, the brand recently released a ' global lookbook,' presenting various summer recipes like an Ube matcha latte and a cherry bakewell dirty soda recipe, both featuring colorful editorial visuals. 'The company has been around for 30 years, and from our perspective, trends come and go,' Lee added. 'We're staying the course.' The final deadline for Fast Company's Next Big Things in Tech Awards is Friday, June 20, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Chris Parnell Says He 'Never Really Knew' Why He Was Let Go And Then Rehired By ‘SNL'
Saturday Night Live alum Chris Parnell said he 'never really knew' why he was fired from the late-night sketch show and later rehired. 'I never really knew, I've never known why it happened exactly,' he recently said on The Patrick LabyorSheaux podcast while promoting the upcoming Season 8 debut of Adult Swim's Rick and Morty. 'I don't know. It was a big shocker. Every summer it would happen that — we were supposed to find out, I think like at the end of June whether our contract had been renewed for the following season, and it was never at the end of June, so we would usually hear from our agents, like, 'Oh, Lorne hasn't decided yet, so can you just wait for a few more weeks?'' More from Deadline 'Saturday Night Live' Wraps Season 50 With No Cast Goodbyes In Finale As NBC Series Prepares For Departures Scarlett Johansson Jokes About 'Avengers' Box Office In Please Don't Destroy Newark Airport Skit With Bad Bunny 'SNL': Mike Myers Returns For Kanye West Sketch At the time, the comedian and actor recalled that he was in touch with fellow castmates like Rachel Dratch and that there was 'no reason' to believe anyone would be exiting the series. 'And then I got a call from my manager, saying, 'Buddy, I don't know what to tell you, they're not gonna bring you back,'' Parnell, who joined in 1998 and was let go in 2001, explained. 'I was like, 'Whoa.' It was a pretty big hit, and you immediately realize how much of your own sense of self-worth is wrapped up in this idea of being a Saturday Night Live cast member.' However, 'thankfully, I had a few people go to bat for me,' Parnell remembered, including Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan, who reportedly went to discuss the matter with Michaels. A then-writer at the show, T. Sean Shannon, even penned a 'scathing' sketch to demonstrate cast ire about the decision: In an obvious dig at Michaels and other head producers, Parnell was characterized as an 'amazing chef' at Benihana who had gotten fired to the confusion of the rest of the staff, which the Anchorman star said was performed at a table read 'to crickets.' He added, 'At one point, I heard it was an NBC executive that I sort of knew, who didn't like me. But I also heard it was budget cuts. I never got a straight answer, and I didn't dig too hard to try to find out what it was 'cause I don't know that I really wanted to know.' (Parnell was let go at the same time as Abbott Elementary's Jerry Minor, while Molly Shannon departed of her volition.) Shortly after his firing, he was told the door was 'not completely shut' to rejoin the show but he was kept in 'limbo' for a while; it wasn't until he had moved back to Los Angeles that he was rehired, missing 12 episodes of a 20-episode season that would have been his fourth with SNL. 'I was very happy to go back. I was thrilled to go back,' he said, though adding that the firing process 'definitely set me back some.' He soon got 'confidence boosters' through participation in various sketches and while taking over Ferrell's spot as the George W. Bush impersonator for a season 'and also just the degree to which everybody welcomed me back and the degree to which everybody was, I think, genuinely surprised that I'd gotten let go, so that was all very comforting and supportive.' Characterizing Michaels as 'a distant father,' Parnell also said he 'always got along with him — even after I got fired and re-hired, he brought me into his office and said, 'I made a mistake, what can I say?' Which is, I think, rare for Lorne.' Though Jim Belushi was also fired and later rehired, Parnell does hold the sole distinction of being fired twice. This time, he was joined by Dratch and Horatio Sanz, who also departed in 2006 due to budget cuts. 'Technically, I was fired again, I was let go again. I was ready at that point, and I was OK, and I knew that might be coming,' he said. Best of Deadline Sean 'Diddy' Combs Sex-Trafficking Trial Updates: Cassie Ventura's Testimony, $10M Hotel Settlement, Drugs, Violence, & The Feds 'Nine Perfect Strangers' Season 2 Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Come Out? Everything We Know About Ari Aster's 'Eddington' So Far
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
15 ‘Saturday Night Live' Sketches That Went Viral
As 'Saturday Night Live' continues its celebration of 50 years on television, TheWrap is here to list the show's most viral sketches that took the internet by storm. From the hilarious viral sensation about gifting your girlfriend your privates to spot-on impersonations of some of the world's most popular political figures, 'Saturday Night Live' has never missed a beat when it comes to entertaining the masses, and that's why it has remained a TV staple in American pop culture for 50 years. Check out our list below of the sketch comedy show's most viral skits. Chris Parnell and Andy Samberg rapped about what it's like to do absolutely nothing on a Sunday in their 'SNL' digital short 'Lazy Sunday.' In the skit, the two jokesters express how excited they are to wake up in the late afternoon just to do lax activities like chowing down on Magnolia bakery cupcakes and watching 'The Chronicles of Narnia.' 'More Cowbell' is one of the most classic skis in all of 'SNL.' Will Ferrell, Chris Kattan, Chris Parnell, Horatio Sanz and Jimmy Fallon star as the members of fictional rock band Blue Oyster Cult who are in the studio recording the latest track '(Don't Fear) the Reaper.' With guidance from producer Bruce Dickinson (Christopher Walken), the musicians surely have a hit on their hands — as long as they add more cowbell. 'D—k in a Box' is one of the most popular, and catchy sketches 'Saturday Night Live' has ever done. 'D—k in a Box' is a digital short and song by American comedy group The Lonely Island featuring Justin Timberlake. In the sketch, Timberlake and Andy Samberg star as two early '90s musicians as they sing about the gifts they'd like to give their girlfriends for Christmas: their penises. There would be no 'Celebrity Jeopardy' skit on 'SNL' without Will Ferrell's first run as late host Alex Trebek. The lineup of competitors were Sean Connery (Darrell Hammond), French Stewart (Jimmy Fallon) and Burt Reynolds (Norm Macdonald). In 'SNL's' 'Club Shay Shay' skit, Devon Walker and Ego Nwodim starred as Shannon Sharpe and Katt Williams as the show took on Sharpe's popular podcast interview series, specifically the viral episode with Williams. The skit took off online, engaging folks who were fans of both Sharpe's show and the veteran comedian. Nwodim was applauded for her seamless impression of Williams. In 'Beavis and Butt-Head,' NewsNation interviewee Prof. Norman Hemming (Kenan Thompson) just can't focus as he attempts to discuss the pros and cons of artificial intelligence because two audience members, Mikey Day and Ryan Gosling, share an uncanny resemblance to the popular MTV animated characters Beavis and Butt-Head. However, the pair have never heard of the cartoon. Gosling and Day looked so much like the moronic besties that Heidi Gardner couldn't hold in her laughter. One thing 'SNL' is going to do is make a mockery of politicians and the political climate Americans are experiencing. One of its most popular moments was its satirical remake of Katie Couric's viral multi-part interview with former Alaskan governor Sarah Palin, who at the time was the Republican vice presidential pick for Sen. John McCain. Palin's performance was received poorly by the GOP, which gave 'SNL' the opportunity to make it one of their gags. The 'SNL' stars of the reenactment were Tina Fey as Palin and Amy Poehler as Couric. When it comes to its celebrity hosts/guests, 'SNL' does a great job of crafting skits around how that celebrity is perceived in popular media. The show completely understood the assignment when it cast actress Sydney Sweeney as a new Hooters waitress who just can't help but win the attention of the restaurant's male patrons. While sweet and timid, the waitress inadvertently upsets the rest of the waitresses. During an appearance on the 'Fly on the Wall' podcast 'SNL' writer and star Bowen Yang said Sweeney was completely up for any gags about her physical appearance, calling the actress an example of a host who came in and understood how she was being consumed and perceived already.' One of 'SNL's' biggest guests was Beyoncé, who appeared as a guest on the show after releasing her mega hit 'Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)' and its iconic music video that sparked a dance craze movement. In true 'SNL' form, the show wanted to parody the video. In the skit, Justin Timberlake, Bobby Moynihan and Andy Samberg starred as Beyoncé's goofy backup dancers. In the documentary 'Ladies & Gentleman… 50 Years of SNL Music,' Timberlake says the 35-time Grammy winner was initially apprehensive about the sketch. 'She was very polite about it, but she was very hesitant. And when I say hesitant, I mean like, she was not having it,' he said. 'I'm like, 'Does she know how funny this is gonna be? How beloved this whole moment will be?'' In 'Black Jeopardy with Tom Hanks,' the iconic actor starred as a MAGA hat-wearing Trump supporter in a Jeopardy game that featured satirical, Black culture-centered categories. By the end of it, he realizes he has a lot more in common with the Black community than he thinks — at least until he lands on the 'Lives That Matter' category. Season 49 of 'SNL' delivered a series of heavy hitters, and another one of them was Scarlett Johansson's take on Sen. Katie Britt's Republican response to former President Joe Biden's 2024 State of the Union address. 'Star Wars Undercover Boss: Starkiller Base' sketch was an entertaining watch for 'Star Wars' loyalists and 'Undercover Boss' fans as Adam Driver reprised his role as Kylo Ren to go undercover as Matt, a radar technician. With hidden cameras watching, Kylo gets an inside look at how his crew is running the First Order. Actress and comedian Melissa McCarthy became an angry, gum-swallowing Sean Spicer as he took questions from journalists as the former White House press secretary. The panel tackled several interesting categories, including 'Movies That Start With the Word Jaws,' 'Petit Déjeuner' and more. While Ryan Gosling came back for a second round of the 'SNL' sketch 'Close Encounter' for Season 49, he garnered just as many laughs in his first go at the skit in 2015. Gosling, Kate McKinnon and Cecily Strong play three people who were recently abducted by aliens and each of them share their very unique stories. Whether she's a musical guest or hosting, Ariana Grande's 'SNL' visits usually lead to one viral moment or another, but the earworm 'Bridesmaid Speech' sketch took things to another level thanks to TikTok, a delightfully off-key Grande, the already oh-so-catchy melody of fellow pop songstress Sabrina Carpenter's 'Esspresso' — and of course, Marcello Hernández's Domingo. The post 15 'Saturday Night Live' Sketches That Went Viral | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
