The Little Lad's Legacy: 5 Shocking Facts About The Viral Berries And Cream Commercial

The "Berries and Cream" commercial is one of the most bizarre, yet enduring, pieces of advertising ever created, and as of late 2025, its cultural footprint remains surprisingly fresh. Originally airing nearly two decades ago, this short, strange advertisement has experienced a cultural resurgence that few marketing campaigns ever achieve, thanks to the power of social media. It's a fascinating case study in how forgotten media can be resurrected into a massive, global phenomenon. The commercial's unique blend of unnerving performance, anachronistic costume, and an incredibly catchy, if slightly unsettling, jingle has cemented its place in internet history. What began as a promotion for a discontinued Starburst flavor has morphed into a multi-year viral meme, proving that sometimes, the weirdest content is the most memorable.

Who is the Little Lad? A Jack Ferver Biography

The iconic character known as the "Little Lad" is portrayed by Jack Ferver, a multi-talented artist whose professional life extends far beyond the realm of confectionery advertising. The commercial, directed by Randy Krallman, was a brief detour in a career dedicated primarily to experimental theater and performance art.

• Full Name: Jack Ferver
• Primary Occupation: Director, Choreographer, Writer, Performer, and Teacher
• Education: Ferver is an alumnus of The Juilliard School and has a significant background in dance and performance.
• Current Role: They are a professor at Bard College, a prestigious liberal arts institution, where they teach in the Theatre and Performance Program.
• Artistic Style: Known for creating works that blend dance, theater, and comedy, often exploring themes of identity, trauma, and pop culture.
• Notable Appearances (Outside Commercial): Has appeared in various films and television shows, though their primary work remains in the New York-based performance and theater scene.
• Relationship to the Commercial: Ferver has often expressed a complicated relationship with the commercial, as their serious artistic endeavors are frequently overshadowed by the "Little Lad" persona.

The 2007 Origin Story: Starburst's Berries and Creme

The "Berries and Cream" commercial was originally created to promote a specific, limited-edition product: Starburst Berries and Crème chewy candies. The flavor, which featured a blend of berry and creamy notes, was released in the mid-2000s and has since been discontinued, adding to the commercial's nostalgic and almost mythical status.

A Deliberate Campaign of Weirdness

The Starburst brand, owned by Mars, Inc., has a history of unconventional and surreal advertising—think the "Skittles Pox" or "Share the Rainbow" campaigns. The "Berries and Cream" advertisement, which debuted in March 2007, fit perfectly into this bizarre marketing strategy. The commercial features the Little Lad, dressed in an anachronistic, Puritan-like outfit with a distinctive bowl cut and a high-pitched, almost British-sounding voice. The character breaks into an awkward, repetitive song and dance, chanting the phrase, "Berries and cream! Berries and cream! I'm a little lad who loves berries and cream!" The entire sequence is designed to be memorable, if not slightly unsettling, and it immediately stood out from typical candy advertisements. The director, Randy Krallman, is known for his work in comedy and advertising that pushes boundaries. The decision to cast Jack Ferver, a professional dancer and choreographer, ensured the "Little Lad Dance" was performed with a specific, unnatural precision that amplified its strangeness. This deliberate choice to embrace the absurd is what initially made the commercial a cult hit and a favorite of "cursed commercial" compilations online.

The Unstoppable 2021 TikTok Trend and Cultural Revival

The commercial's initial popularity waned after the Starburst flavor was discontinued, but its true global fame arrived over a decade later. In the fall of 2021, the "Berries and Cream" audio and dance were suddenly resurrected and exploded on the TikTok platform.

How a 14-Year-Old Ad Went Viral

The resurgence began when a TikTok user, known as "Leslie," created a video using a sped-up and distorted version of the Little Lad's song. This sound, which became known as the "Little Lad Dance" sound, quickly became a viral audio track on the platform. Thousands of users began creating their own versions of the awkward, rhythmic dance, often using the distinctive "long hair and hat" filter to mimic the Little Lad's look. The trend was a perfect storm of internet culture:

• Nostalgia: It tapped into the collective memory of a generation who watched the original commercial.
• Catchy Audio: The repetitive and high-pitched jingle is instantly memorable and perfect for short-form video.
• Dance Challenge: The simple, yet goofy, choreography was easy for anyone to replicate, making it ideal for a TikTok challenge.
• Absurdity: The sheer randomness and strangeness of the content appealed to the platform's love for the bizarre and ironic humor.

The trend rapidly spread, generating millions of views and thousands of user-generated videos. It demonstrated a powerful lesson for brands: no advertisement is ever truly dead on the internet.

The Enduring Legacy of the Little Lad

The "Berries and Cream" commercial and the Little Lad character are now firmly established as a piece of internet folklore. The 2021 TikTok phenomenon didn't just revive the ad; it immortalized it, introducing the strange, dancing lad to a completely new generation who had never seen the original Starburst promotion.

From Candy Ad to Halloween Costume

The commercial's impact was so significant that the iconic outfit—the brown cap, long hair, and old-fashioned tunic—became a popular and instantly recognizable Halloween costume in the years following the TikTok trend. Starburst even acknowledged the viral moment by creating an official Berries and Cream Halloween costume, capitalizing on the unexpected second life of their discontinued product's marketing. Jack Ferver, the actor, has had to navigate this unexpected, decades-later fame. While they are a respected figure in the New York art scene and a professor at Bard College, they are now internationally recognized as the Little Lad. This duality—the serious artist and the viral meme star—highlights the unpredictable nature of digital culture and how a single, strange performance can define a person in the public eye. The commercial remains a testament to the fact that sometimes, the goal of advertising isn't to sell a product, but simply to be unforgettable.

Detail Author:

• Name : Felton Thiel
• Username : fglover
• Email : gia24@yahoo.com
• Birthdate : 1978-08-09
• Address : 62588 Fisher Circle Apt. 522 North Demarco, MI 62970
• Phone : +1 (435) 667-3371
• Company : Hermiston-Nikolaus
• Job : Information Systems Manager
• Bio : Et vel ex quod voluptatem est excepturi. Sunt soluta qui temporibus. Voluptas explicabo vitae et. Dolore architecto consequatur cupiditate corporis earum sint a ex.

Socials

tiktok:

• url : https://tiktok.com/@estell_xx
• username : estell_xx
• bio : Debitis non ut eveniet. Ut quo incidunt eum nemo.
• followers : 3336
• following : 1285

instagram:

• url : https://instagram.com/estell.white
• username : estell.white
• bio : Tempore itaque sit qui. Consequatur et debitis id ipsa rerum. Nihil dolores dolorem est delectus.
• followers : 1528
• following : 1650

facebook:

• url : https://facebook.com/estell6845
• username : estell6845
• bio : Qui et quas ab officia dolores blanditiis.
• followers : 441
• following : 671

linkedin:

• url : https://linkedin.com/in/estell_white
• username : estell_white
• bio : Cum ea ullam molestiae explicabo quas omnis.
• followers : 686
• following : 2102