Teens Shame Their Cow's Milk Drinking Dads in Ads for Oatly

Don’t have a cow, dads! Swear off dairy and drink Oatly instead.

The Swedish vegan food and beverage brand pours on that message in a humorous British campaign that (lovingly?) mocks grown-up dudes who insist on reaching for the moo-juice instead of an oat-based alternative.

One delinquent dad sneaks out after dark for a cow’s milk fix, but suffers a shameful comeuppance:

Developed in-house with an assist from Smuggler director Tom Speers, these wry outings stem from brand research that shows middle-aged men have an especially rough time adopting a plant-based lifestyle. And who better to guide them than their teenage kids?

We meet a well-meaning but judgmental pair in this next spot:

So, the kid caught him “drinking from the cow,” huh? Let’s hope they mean that metaphorically. If not, Pops has some issues Oatly can’t touch.

“‘Help-Dad’ is our way of helping teens help their dad or mum or uncle or anyone else in their life in need of some veggification, to adopt a more plant-based lifestyle,” says Oatly creative director Michael Lee, who milks the concept further in two more installments below:

Those kids are such spoilers!

The work drives viewers to a website for additional information. It includes recipes, stats about veganism and climate change, and an amusing section of sharable conversation tips.

For example, when Dad says, “Plant-based is just a trend,” a teen might reply: “Great point, Dad! And it’s your best shot at being cool again since like 1985. Seize the moment!”

Such ripostes may not convince patriarchs to switch to Oatly, but they should work wonders for getting kids grounded!

“Hopefully, by encouraging some difficult dinner-table conversations across the nation, we can get climate-friendly food and drink on even more family shopping lists this year,” Lee says.