John Cena Reunites With Hefty to Promote Its Entire Product Line

Hefty is taking the phrase "strong choice" beyond trash bags and into kitchens, parties, and everyday life with its biggest campaign yet.

The new integrated effort pairs the powerhouse personality of WWE superstar and actor John Cena with the brand’s full lineup of trash bags, food storage bags, and party cups.

After a decade of working with Cena on trash bag creative, Hefty elevated him to spokesperson for the full portfolio.

This builds the "Strong Choice" campaign around the idea that strength can also mean confidence in everyday decisions.

Brienne Neisewander, VP of Hefty marketing at Reynolds Consumer Products, told DesignRush that the campaign celebrates "the bold choices we make in everyday moments."

"Strong doesn’t always look the same — and that’s why John Cena is the perfect embodiment of different types of strength," she added.

"While he's known for his physical strength, what truly sets John apart is his confidence to stand out, lean into humor, and fully commit to who he is."

Cena echoed this sentiment.

“What I love about the Strong Choice campaign is that it celebrates the everyday decisions we all make — especially the bold, unexpected ones that don’t always go as planned," he explained.

"These spots have a lot of fun with those moments, while showing how Hefty products are built to handle whatever comes with making a strong choice.”

Hefty and the "Peacemaker" actor collaborated eight years ago alongside his mother, Carol Cena. 

This latest effort gives Hefty a chance to unify its messaging across categories.

And it leans into celebrity marketing, as it had in previous years, as a tool for cohesion.

How Hefty Helps You Clean With Confidence

The rollout includes several 15-second and six-second ads that each spotlight a quirky “strong choice” moment tied to a specific product.

In the "Cleaning Fish" spot, a husband’s decision to gut fish on a freshly cleaned kitchen counter becomes a strong choice when a Hefty Ultra Strong trash bag saves the day.

Another short shows a mom up at 3:00 AM, engineering a party centerpiece and using Hefty Slider Bags to keep it intact.

A separate cut features color-coded Hefty Party Cups, helping a family keep track of the Anderson triplets at a gathering.

A final montage weaves these moments together to show how the brand’s products help “handle it” from prep to cleanup.

Overall, the integrated work uses light-hearted moments to depict how everyday choices can be "strong choices," from personal style decisions to how people tackle chores and parties.

The campaign was created with ad agency McCann,  Hearts & Science on media, and Edelman on public relations.

It will air across linear TV, connected TV, digital, and social channels beginning this month.

Lessons From Hefty’s Strong Choice Play

Hefty’s "Strong Choice" serves as a case study in portfolio storytelling, as told with a superstar figure like Cena.

Over the years, he has aligned with a range of household and lifestyle brands, making him a familiar face in campaigns that hinge on reliability, humor, and broad appeal.

The takeaways here are clear:

• Unifying a product portfolio under one thematic idea helps streamline messaging for diverse items.
• Using a long-term partner like Cena builds continuity while opening up new storytelling angles.
• Short, lighthearted, and comedic creative tied to real household moments can create cut-ready social clips that extend the campaign’s life.

Hefty’s parent company, Reynolds Consumer Products, reported net revenues of roughly $3.72 billion in 2025, driven in part by pricing strategies and modest volume growth.

Our Take: Does the 'Strong Choice' Matter?

To me, this campaign shows how a legacy household brand can feel fresh again.

Hefty is selling confidence in the small decisions people make every day.

This feels unusually human for a plastic bag company, but maybe that's why it's the creative the brand decided to pursue.

In giving Cena a wider canvas than just trash bags, Hefty is hoping his personality and the relatable moments he's seen in can carry the initiative.

It's this kind of work that gives people a reason to care. 

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