Pumpkin Spice Kraft Mac & Cheese? It's No Joke (Well, It Kind of Is)

The world is totally upside down, but one thing will never change—the re-emergence of pumpkin spice everything at this time of year, pandemic or not. And by everything, we mean everything—even Pumpkin Spice Kraft Mac & Cheese, thanks to a tongue-in-cheek campaign in Canada.

Agency Rethink dreamed up the gnarly idea, and the product is very real—even if the whole campaign is just Kraft trolling the ubiquitous flavor and the coffee shops that push it relentlessly. Indeed, you can sign up on this waiting list for a chance to be one of a thousand people who’ll get to subject themselves to this stuff.

Those lucky few will get a box of Kraft Mac & Cheese (known as Kraft Dinner in Canada), a pumpkin spice flavor boost to shake in along with the cheese powder, cinnamon spice topping, and a white coffee-style cup with your name written on it (which Kraft promises to misspell).

The campaign launches in social media, and will also include outdoor ads next to coffee shops as well as influencer/meme content.

“Canadians have always made Kraft Dinner their own way, and if that means wanting it with pumpkin spice, well, we’re all for it,” says Brian Neumann, senior brand manager, brand building and innovation, at Kraft Heinz Canada. “We’re not judgy, so this pumpkin spice season, we decided to combine the one-of-a-kind cheesy taste of KD with the most iconic flavor of fall and create Pumpkin Spice KD. It might sound ridiculous for a mac and cheese brand to be part of the PSL conversation, but that’s the whole point. Only 1,000 will be made. So, move over lattes and muffins, PSKD is the must try new flavor this fall.”

CREDITS

Title: Pumpkin Spice KD

Client: Kraft Heinz
CCO: Aaron Starkman
Partner, Creative Director: Mike Dubrick
Creative Director: Allan Topol, Loretta Lau
Art Director: Nick Noh    
Writer: Jordan Darnbrough
Designer: Jake Lim, Erin Maguire
French Writer: Karine Doucet
Strategist: Sean McDonald, Hannah Newport
Producer (in house): Narine Artinian, Kate Spencer 

Production Company: Fuze Reps
Photographer: Chris Robinson
Producer: Helen Yousif

Account Services: 
Amy Greenspoon, Group Account Director
Kai de Bruyn Kops, Account Director
Allie Kennedy, Account Manager

Client: 
Brian Neumann – Senior Brand Manager
Ishani Patel – Senior Associate Brand Manager

Media – Starcom
PR – The Colony Project
SALT – Community Management