Bryan Cranston Breaks Bad, in the Best Way, as 'Cranpus' for Ocean Spray

This instantly ranks as one of 2025's best holiday ads

You haven’t lived until you’ve seen Bryan Cranston rocking mighty goat horns, heavy makeup and renaissance garb as “Cranpus”—a mythical hoarder of cranberries—in holiday spots from Ocean Spray.

Lensed by MJZ’s Dante Ariola, this stuff is next-level ludicrous, displaying an awesomely bizarre, self-aware vibe. And it goofs on the popular Xmas comedy-chiller Krampus, presumably.

B.C. riffs and preens for all he’s worth, dropping enough crantastic wordplay to stuff a turkey.

“All my life, I had the nickname, ‘Cranny’ or ‘Cranman.’ And on occasion, a friend will shout, ‘Hey, Cranberry!'” Bryan says in press materials.

That last one seems unlikely. But in the festive spirit, we’ll go with it!

“By leaning into entertainment-style content and co-creating a story with Bryan Cranston, we’re celebrating the essential role cranberry plays in a bold, unforgettable way that goes beyond a traditional approach to advertising,” says Eliza Sadler, head of brand elevation.

Piggyback provided creative direction and the work began breaking today.

Given the puns, Cranston was, obviously, the only choice to lead the campaign, agency ECD/founder John Angelopulos tells Muse. The legendary actor helped shape the script, fashioning a “complex character” envisioned as a “folklore Santa antithesis.”

During the shoot, “despite the horns, cloak, and holiday chaos, it felt surprisingly intimate: Real laughter, everyone hanging on every line Cranston said, completely nailing things in one take,” adds Leigh Masters, also an ECD/founder.

“It felt like a moment caught in time in a snow globe. Hopefully we can make a sequel.”