Dive Brief:
- Philadelphia cream cheese has commissioned an original song, "Land of the Cream Cheese," sung by rising country singer-songwriter Travis Yee, per details shared with Marketing Dive.
- The song is available on major music platforms and will be boosted across TikTok and Instagram via a music video, paid 15-second spots and recipe duets. The campaign was developed and executed by Gut Miami with Carat U.S. supporting paid media and Zeno Group on PR.
- The campaign from the Kraft Heinz brand taps into the popularity of recipes that feature cream cheese on TikTok with a song that keys into themes of Americana in advance of Independence Day.
Dive Insight:
Philadelphia is celebrating the Fourth of July with an original country song that plays up patriotism and Americans' propensity for putting cream cheese — as the lyrics say — on bagels; in pasta, coffee, Crock Pots and cheesecakes; with veggies; and for breakfast or dinner. The campaign comes as consumers, put off by rising prices at the grocery store, are cooking more at home.
“As an iconic brand that has been around for more than 150 years, Philadelphia shares our fans’ passion for proudly using our cream cheese to make anything and everything creamier,” said Senior Brand Manager Keenan White, in a statement. “We’re excited to recognize fans’ fervor in a way that’s never been done before and let them know that we see and appreciate their cream cheese devotion.”
The campaign is inspired by and meant to go wide on social media, especially TikTok, where cream cheese-filled recipes number more than 132 million, per details shared by the brand. The campaign includes a variety of elements for TikTok and Instagram, including teasers, a music video that features user-generated content (UGC) and overlays of flags, eagles and fireworks, 15-second spots set to a montage of UGC, original artist content and recipe duets in front of an American flag backdrop.
As branded original songs go, "Land of the Cream Cheese" sounds like it would fit in on country radio, with its paeans to patriotism and the American dream. The song's chorus is a recipe for America: among other things, “a dollop of freedom, a spoonful of grit” and "a big ole block of that cream cheese." Singer Yee first gained popularity by singing covers on social media and has 1 million followers on TikTok under the handle @asiancountrysinger.
The “Land of the Cream Cheese” campaign is the latest in a line of creative plays from the Kraft Heinz marketer. As the pandemic dragged on, Philadelphia offered therapy for homebound couples and then pivoted to a multisensory dining concept aimed at burned-out consumers. The brand also toyed with gaming consoles and a device that turned anything into a bagel.
