Social media trends move quickly, but nostalgia cycles even faster. As audiences increasingly revisit mid-2010s internet culture, the return of “2016 summer energy” emerged as a growing online conversation defined by carefree humor, music-driven content, and participatory nostalgia. Kraft Singles saw an opportunity to meet audiences inside that cultural moment.
While the brand is synonymous with cheeseburgers, the challenge was making product craveability feel native to modern social platforms rather than traditional food advertising. The goal was to inspire audiences to want a Kraft Singles cheeseburger by embedding the product within entertainment audiences would willingly watch and share.
The idea was to recreate one of the internet’s most recognizable formats from that era: the mannequin challenge.
Instead of simply referencing the trend, the team reimagined it through a playful, platform-native lens. A staged freeze-frame burger party celebrated the social excitement surrounding Kraft Singles while spotlighting the product at the center of the experience. To amplify familiarity, the team created an original parody soundtrack inspired by the iconic trend-defining sound, allowing audiences to instantly recognize the reference while remaining legally compliant.
Objectives included:
• Increase product craveability through culturally relevant storytelling
• Connect with younger audiences through nostalgic internet formats
• Drive organic engagement using native social behaviors
• Establish a repeatable content style rooted in humor and participation
While filming styled burger content on set, the team recognized an authentic energy among collaborators sharing food, music, and humor. What began as behind-the-scenes footage documenting the creative process revealed something more compelling.
It felt like summer.
Recognizing the resurgence of mid-2010s nostalgia online, the team pivoted in real time to capture a mannequin challenge inspired video. The format allowed the product to remain visually central while showcasing the communal joy associated with eating together. Friends, collaborators, and crew froze mid-action around perfectly styled cheeseburgers layered with Kraft Singles, creating a snapshot of celebration rather than advertisement. The frozen chaos highlighted excitement, movement, and personality while naturally drawing attention to the product.
Music became the campaign’s defining challenge. The original mannequin challenge relied heavily on a recognizable song tied to the trend. Creating a parody required multiple legal and creative iterations to ensure compliance while maintaining audience recognition. Instead of outsourcing the solution, the content team performed the parody themselves. Each team member contributed vocals, creating an original track that mirrored the energy audiences remembered while remaining brand safe. The result amplified authenticity and humor, reinforcing that the content came from creators genuinely enjoying the product rather than executing a scripted campaign.
Editing intentionally leaned into native platform aesthetics, favoring organic pacing and humor over traditional food advertising techniques. Originally intended as internal behind-the-scenes content, early reactions revealed unexpected potential. The team adapted the footage for public release, turning spontaneous creativity into a scalable social format.
The success of the post ultimately inspired an ongoing parody-driven content style for Kraft Singles, expanding how the brand participates in internet culture moving forward.
By leaning into nostalgia, humor, and creator-led authenticity, Kraft Singles transformed a spontaneous on-set moment into a high-performing social activation.
On Instagram alone, the post generated more than 2 million impressions and over 260,000 engagements, delivering a 12.6% engagement rate significantly outperforming typical branded food content. Audience response reflected strong emotional connection rather than passive viewing.
Comments overwhelmingly expressed positive sentiment toward both the product and the playful tone of the content, validating the strategy of prioritizing entertainment over advertising.
Key Results:
• 2,062,482 Instagram impressions
• 260,643 engagements
• 12.6% engagement rate
• Majority positive audience sentiment across comments
• Sparked a new parody-driven content style adopted by Kraft Singles social channels
