A Big Mac Launch with Big Name Talent

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A Big Mac Launch with Big Name Talent

by Paramount Advertising

 

 

When McDonald’s introduced the Chicken Big Mac, they led with a simple but provocative question: “Is it really a Big Mac?” To spark a debate worthy of the menu remix, McDonald’s needed more than an ad–they needed a moment. That’s where Paramount stepped in.

 

The Challenge: Create a conversation that feels genuinely “fan-to-fan"

Launching the Chicken Big Mac required more than just awareness. McDonald’s wanted to reimagine the Big Mac category completely, and spark a playful debate across audiences, especially with younger consumers who respond most to creator-led, culturally immersive content.

To watch the clip, click here or click the image above.

The Solution: Pair a modern creator icon with a beloved Paramount star

McDonald’s identified a unique creative unlock: Kai Cenat is, in many ways, a modern-day “iCarly” – a creator who built a massively loyal audience through unscripted, personality-driven livestreams.

 

So, Paramount brought in Miranda Cosgrove, the face of an iconic franchise built on internet fandom, to join Kai live on stream for a special crossover segment: “KaiCarly.”

 

Together, they sampled the Chicken Big Mac, compared it to the original and recreated the playful spirit of iCarly with IP nods including music, tone and fan-favorite callbacks. The moment felt strangely familiar and entirely new at the same time, bridging generations of fans and lighting up social feeds.

 

This wasn’t about celebrity endorsement. It was about activating Paramount IP in a way that felt native to internet culture, giving fans a crossover they didn’t know they needed.

 

The Results: A cross-over that delivered massive earned attention

The Chicken Big Mac campaign, powered in part by the “KaiCarly” collaboration, became one of McDonald’s strongest engagement drivers in recent history:

This collaboration proved what we know to be true: IP plus creator culture creates real, measurable fandom energy. By pairing Miranda Cosgrove with Kai Cenat, Paramount helped McDonald’s tap into two powerful, multi-generational fandoms at once.

 

Sourcing: Shorty Awards, Wieden+Kennedy

 

The Paramount Advertising Insights Hub is for smart, always-on insights and creative inspiration to help partners thrive in the ever-evolving media landscape. Contact your Paramount Advertising sales representative to schedule a presentation, or reach out to us for additional questions.

iMemories Drives 65K+ Site Visits with Paramount Ads Manager

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iMemories Drives 65K+ Site Visits with Paramount Ads Manager

by Paramount Advertising

 

 

As CTV becomes a more performance-driven channel, advertisers are seeking clearer measurement and more transparency. Using Paramount Ads Manager, iMemories attributed 65,000+ qualified site visits directly to its CTV campaign, turning premium inventory into measurable outcomes.

 

The Challenge: Streamline media buying and drive qualified site traffic

While iMemories had experience advertising on CTV, the team questioned whether third-party platforms were limiting access to top-tier inventory and highly engaged audiences. They set out to gain greater control over where their ads appeared and focus on driving higher-quality traffic to their site.

 

The Solution: Unlock premium inventory with direct attribution insights

By adding Paramount Ads Manager to their marketing mix, iMemories gained direct access to premium, culturally relevant content across CBS, BET, MTV, Comedy Central and more. Over the course of one month, the team launched five targeted campaigns to test audience segments and geographic markets across the U.S.

 

To better understand performance, iMemories implemented the Paramount Ads Manager Pixel, enabling direct attribution between ad exposure and on-site visits.

To watch the clip, click here or click the image above.

The Results: Impressions that turned into actions

The campaign delivered strong, measurable performance:

  • 1.3M+ impressions across premium CTV inventory
  • 65,000+ attributed site visits driven by Paramount Ads Manager
  • Clear visibility into which campaigns, audiences, and markets drove engagement


Together, these results demonstrate how premium content, precise targeting, and real attribution can help brands reach audiences who are ready to act.

 

To learn more about Paramount Ads Manager, visit: https://adsmanager.paramount.com/

 

The Paramount Advertising Insights Hub is for smart, always-on insights and creative inspiration to help partners thrive in the ever-evolving media landscape. Contact your Paramount Advertising sales representative to schedule a presentation, or reach out to us for additional questions.

Case Study

Submitted by Harikesh.K@par… on

STORIES THAT MOVE YOU

 

Powered by story and accelerated by technology, we develop breakthrough creative, innovative advertising solutions and data-driven experiences that connect brands with the right audiences at the right moment across every platform. Explore the work.

Case Studies

iMemories Drives 65K+ Site Visits with Paramount Ads Manager
A Big Mac Launch with Big Name Talent
Streaming Performs for LWD's Top Clients
Nostalgia Squared: Wendy’s Celebrates 25 Years of SpongeBob
VMAs: 40 Years of Fandom and Fun
Breaking Barriers: ViiV’s PrEP Push
Pizza Hut, Pop Culture's Pizza
Mastercard Makes a Sustainable Statement at The GRAMMYs

The Rise of “Ineffable Creativity”

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The Rise of “Ineffable Creativity”

Have you ever tried to describe how White Claw tastes? One X user says it’s like “drinking TV static while someone screams the name of a fruit from another room.” Another user points out that “this tomato is so Loewe,” a whimsical idea that Jonathan Anderson, the creative designer behind Loewe, took literally and turned into a clutch bag. Then there's Wisdom Kaye, known for his genuine passion for fashion-based self-expression; he styled himself as iconic typefaces by interpreting abstract fonts like Papyrus and Comic Sans as distinct personalities.

 

At first, these signals might seem unrelated, but they show a desire to represent objects that defy easy classification – a shift toward difficult-to-describe experiences that people are itching to put a finger on… ones that are decidedly ineffable. 

Seeing Sounds and Feeling Colors

Examples of synesthesia – or, the ability to connect different senses, like translating flavors into visual experiences, or typography into fashion – appear to be bubbling up across the creative world. The practice of blending experiences from one medium with another isn’t new. Through themed runway challenges, RuPaul’s Drag Race’s queens have mainstreamed the niche art form of translating complex ideas into high fashion and visual spectacle for years, whether it’s interpreting post-apocalyptic societal collapse, or embodying the powerful message of the Black Lives Matter movement.

 

Today this practice is taking on new forms, thanks to people with synesthesia fusing creativity with their condition. Creators like Sarah Kraning are translating sounds such as Chappell Roan’s latest single into intriguing colors and patterns. Another synesthete Shane Guffog’s senses are cross-wired to “hear colors,” which has led him to work with musicians to unlock and compose the musicality of his paintings. Songwriter and producer Finneas has also sparked conversations around the intersection of art and sensory perception after revealing how his synesthetic experiences influences music creation.

 

One brand that has successfully experimented with sensory crossovers is Spotify, which embraced the mix of music and visuals with its Audio Aura feature as part of its 2021 Wrapped campaign. It assigns colors to moods based on music listening habits, with help from aura reader Mystic Michaela. 

Naming The Unnameable

The fascination with personal interpretation and subjective experiences is extending to all sorts of discussions, like whether certain ages feel young or old, or how people picture months in a year mentally. Even the phrase “very demure, very mindful” made popular by trans creator Jools Lebron playfully mocks the feminine-coded culture of mindfulness, encouraging people to lighten up and share their own niche interpretations of the word.

 

Armed with endless slang and snappy microtrends, the internet is getting really creative at “vibes diagnosis,” the practice of putting a name to otherwise uncommunicable concepts or personalities, whether it’s assigning or taking away “aura points,” or calculating someone’s rizz factor. Although the phrase “it’s giving” has been around since the ’80s, shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race have brought it new relevance to describe styles or performances with a certain vibe.

“Hybrid Creative” in the Age of AI

Underscoring this ineffable content trend are emotional nuance and intricate perception: two qualities that brands still struggle to master. One-size-fits-all slogans and clichéd taglines – now made easier to produce by AI tools –might not work as well as they used to. But AI’s arrival onto the scene has ushered in a new era of creativity – giving brands new ways to engage dynamically, generate and explore creative directions more expansively, and automate processes to help them produce, distribute, and target with ease.

 

But the greater the efficiency that AI infuses into everyday life, the more people seek moments that stop them in their tracks. Some estimates predict 90% of online content could be AI-generated by 2025. Consumers are increasingly discerning, ad-literate shoppers who will seek out campaigns and experiences that feel bespoke and authentic. As marketers try to break through the noise of an increasingly AI-augmented reality, the human touch still remains an inextricable part of the equation.

 

The Ineffable Factor

Looking ahead, AI will undoubtedly transform and complement human creativity – the humanization of AI is already underway, with OpenAI’s “strawberry” o1 model demonstrating human-like reasoning. But the challenge for brands and creatives is to harness the ineffable factor – those unique, un-promptable elements that this hybrid creativity can produce. This could involve exploring unexpected ways to create, such as fantastical product mash-ups (hot fudge sundae water, anyone?) and uncanny sensory crossovers. For instance, Mugler's Angel fragrance popup in London's Selfridges used a Synesthesia Chamber to merge light, color, sound, and scent, creating an ethereal experience for shoppers.

 

As generative AI becomes more prevalent and marketers feel the pressure to adapt their skills to create alongside AI, their success hinges on whether at the start of the creative process, they ask “what would AI not do?” rather than try to mimic AI’s capabilities. As discussed in our previous article about AI’s cross-category impact, AI can feel antagonistic to humanity, but, if reassessed, our relationship to it may lead us to realize that it isn’t a replacement to human thinking – it’s a gateway to amplifying what makes us human.

 

Paramount Advertising's Insights Hub showcases smart, always-on insights and creative inspiration to help partners thrive in the ever-evolving media landscape. Contact your Paramount Advertising sales representative to schedule a presentation, or reach out to us for additional questions.

The New Recipe For Popular

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The New Recipe For Popular

With more than 200 available streaming services and social media apps galore, global audiences now have a staggering amount of access to content they love. With this abundance, though, comes choice paralysis: how does one pick between a seemingly infinite number of shows, movies, and channels: will it be the latest Tracker or a favorite rerun of Basketball Wives; the latest nail-biting game on Golazo; the latest queen going viral on RuPaul’s Drag Race?

 

One thing’s for sure: viewers hold the power. When people enjoy greater control over what, when, how, and why they watch something, it redefines what gets deemed popular.

 

“Popular” used to be defined by three main factors: being the most-watched, talked about, and critically acclaimed. Today the recipe has been adjusted, and not just for flavor. Popularity is increasingly fan-driven and fundamentally more communal. From Barbenheimer and Dune to the Super Bowl and the Grammys, the past two years have been punctuated by several, pivotal monocultural moments – experiences shared by people from all walks of life, coming together to participate in something together. Consumers want content that allows them to bond, with 86% saying that content must connect different people in different ways, in order for it to be considered popular. This version of popular culture is now more democratic, more engaged and helps consumers find connection in disjointed times.

 

In some ways, “popular” has become hard to define. 85% of consumers think a show is popular when it’s talked about – even without an upcoming new season. Another 83% say popularity is more about what viewers think versus what critics say – signaling the reign of peer reviews. And then there are 81% of consumers who say the shows they watch most frequently are not always the ones they talk about the most, which means the most popular content out there might be flying under the radar.

 

85% of consumers think a show is popular when it's talked about – even without an upcoming new season. – The New Collectivism Study, Paramount, 2023

 

If there are so many nuances to why people consider a piece of content “popular”, how do you break through the noise? What does “popular” even mean? In our study The New Collectivism, we explored the shifting definition of popularity and its foundational elements.

 

When asked to rank what they look for in popular content, consumers said it has to be the talk of the town, have longevity, provide an escape, promote new ways of thinking and reflect culture today. These characteristics cross categories – from Sports, to award shows, to series and movies. Brands and marketers can use these expectations to dimensionalize popularity and create content that truly strikes a chord.

 

Popular Content is Talked About

Content that is well-known and viral makes us feel part of something larger than just ourselves. Highly anticipated tentpole events like the Super Bowl and the VMAs are clear examples. But series with fresh and original premises - like Love Island and Emily In Paris – also have the potential for breakout popularity, providing new, creative frames of reference for addressing modern-day challenges.

 

Popular Content has Longevity

The ability for content to withstand the test of time is also an important factor. The Scream series and Survivor franchise prove that familiarity can lead to consistent popularity, through playing on tropes with multigenerational appeal, and formulas that feel consistent, yet fresh and appealing.

 

Popular Content Provides an Escape

Popular content also often provides a way to escape - whether at the theater, at home, in singular moments, or as something to always look forward to The Champions League finals, Yellowstone and Dungeons & Dragons might seem dissimilar on their surface, but beloved events, shows and movies like these share in their ability to transport their viewers from their everyday lives - and provide a moment of escape.

 

Popular Content Thinks Differently

Content that pushes viewers to learn new and different things inspires their growth – through exposure to niche communities and interests, or by offering alternative windows into well-known people, places, cultures and moments. Shows like The Bear and RuPaul’s Drag Race have generated deep fandoms by helping people more deeply understand the worlds of restaurants and drag, respectively, in original, and authentic ways.

 

Popular Content Should Reflect Culture

Popular content also often mirrors culture of the times and the ups and downs of everyday life. Shows like South Park and The Curse are examples of how real-world narratives can be adapted to the screen through humor, raw truths, and meticulous character-building.

 

Paramount Advertising's Insights Hub showcases smart, always-on insights and creative inspiration to help partners thrive in the ever-evolving media landscape. Contact your Paramount Advertising sales representative to schedule a presentation, or reach out to us for additional questions.

Game Changers: The Evolution of Sports & Culture

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Game Changers: The Evolution of Sports & Culture

In October 2024, Scarlett Johansson wore a “The Met” Metropolitan Museum of Art baseball hat to game four of the Mets vs Dodgers NLCS matchup. Google searches for the hat soared as the image from the broadcast went viral. People from across the fandom spectrum could enjoy the unique experience of sports and culture overlapping; creating one, beautiful (and increasingly elusive) monocultural moment.  

 

"For a long time, sport was a microcosm of society: whatever happened in society was reflected in sport... Now what happens in sport increasingly has the power to impact society and life OUTSIDE of the sport space." – Dr. Kristi Oshiro, Assistant Professor of Sports Administration at Belmont University

 

Sports has always been a cornerstone of American identity; but today, its impact is felt far beyond just the playing field. As sports permeate every facet of entertainment and culture, the line between sports enthusiasts and pop culture aficionados is blurring. In our 2025 study, “Game Changers: The Evolving World of Sports & Culture”, we found this cultural crossover manifesting in many ways:

This new generation of fans want their passions to intersect – with 77% of Gen Z sports fans saying they love when their passion for sports overlaps with their other interests (Paramount Sports Study, 2024). And we’re seeing this play out today through Joe Burrow and Justin Jefferson’s runway walk at Paris fashion week, Neymar’s ever growing popularity on Twitch, the explosion of #BookTok and its connection to the NHL, and so much more.

 

Women’s sports and emerging sports are providing a welcome, untainted space for these next-gen fans eager to expand their sports fandoms. Over half of all sports fans find the environment of new teams more welcoming that legacy teams (Paramount Sports Study, 2024), and a top three reason people are most excited about women’s sports today is its greater cultural acceptance of women in all sports (Paramount Women's Sports Study, 2024). That’s one of the reasons why Natalie Portman founded Angel City FC - to shift soccer culture in the US. She said in an interview: “Watching my son idolize players like Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan the same way he did Lionel Messi or Karim Benzema, I realized that amplifying female athletes could rapidly shift culture.”

 

Paramount Advertising's Insights Hub showcases smart, always-on insights and creative inspiration to help partners thrive in the ever-evolving media landscape. Contact your Paramount Advertising sales representative to schedule a presentation, or reach out to us for additional questions.

FOR THE WIN: 7 Myths (and Truths) Brands Need to Know About Women’s Sports Fandoms

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FOR THE WIN: 7 Myths (and Truths) Brands Need to Know About Women’s Sports Fandoms

Did you know...

  • Men make up more than half (52%) of women's sports fandom?
  • Women's sports drove ~$1B+ in revenue last year, with expectations of continued growth through 2025?
  • 63% of Gen Z fans say they're more likely to pay attention to brands that show up for women's sports?


Women’s sports fandom is undoubtedly on the rise - but what does that mean for brands and marketers? The Audience Impact & Intelligence Team’s latest study “For the Win: 7 Myths (& Truths) that Brands Need to Know About Women’s Sports Fandom” explores the driving forces behind the building enthusiasm and passion for women’s sports, offering insight into how fans are playing a pivotal role in this cultural shift. The study sheds new light on who the women’s sports fan is, their attitudes and engagement with their favorite sports, and the opportunities available to marketers to align themselves with this growing fandom. Download the white paper below to learn more about what captivates and excites this growing audience, their aspirations for the future of the game, and their perspective on the role of brands.

Paramount Advertising's Insights Hub showcases smart, always-on insights and creative inspiration to help partners thrive in the ever-evolving media landscape. Contact your Paramount Advertising sales representative to schedule a presentation, or reach out to us for additional questions.

Gen Z + Community: Seeking Connection

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Gen Z + Community: Seeking Connection

Is Gen Z truly the “loneliest generation?” How has an increasing reliance on technology and the ripple effects of an unprecedented pandemic shaped the needs and tensions in this young generation's search for connection?

 

79% of Gen Z say, "my generation needs more offline time together." – Paramount's Gen Z and Community Study, 2025

 

Beyond the alarming news headlines, the story of Gen Z and their path to kinship and community is nuanced and evolving. Overcoming both internal and external challenges in their formative years, they’re emerging as social experimenters, rebuilding community, sparking new forms of belonging, and embracing the platforms and brands that enable their connection. To them, the word “community” is more than just a buzzword, it’s a part of their identity, sense of purpose, and everyday motivation.

 

75% of Gen Z say, "community is critical to their mental health." – Paramount's Gen Z and Community Study, 2025

 

Paramount Advertising’s latest study, “Gen Z & Community: Seeking Connection” explores the unique drivers that motivate this cohort’s desire to form community, and the ways brands can support them authentically and meaningfully.

 

75% of Gen Z feel more loyal to a brand that supports their community.  – Paramount's Gen Z and Community Study, 2025.

Paramount Advertising's Insights Hub showcases smart, always-on insights and creative inspiration to help partners thrive in the ever-evolving media landscape. Contact your Paramount Advertising sales representative to schedule a presentation, or reach out to us for additional questions.

Building Fandoms: Streaming and Social

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Building Fandoms: How Streaming and Social Media are Growing New Fan Communities 

In today’s digital world, TV and media consumption have undergone massive transformation. While not completely gone, the constraints of appointment television have been lifted, opening the door for audiences to enjoy their favorite serialized shows at their pace - often in epic binge-watching sessions. This shift has changed not just how we watch TV, but also how fandoms are created and sustained.

 

Streaming Services and Changing Viewer Preferences

Streaming services have flipped the script on how we watch TV. According to YouGov, many TV watchers prefer hour-long, serialized shows that are new to them. This setup caters to our craving for uninterrupted, immersive viewing experiences, and offers an opportunity for audiences to connect with a vast library of content they never had access to before.

 

Fandoms: The Heart and Soul of TV Shows

Fandoms have always been the secret sauce behind the success and longevity of TV shows. These dedicated fan groups create a sense of community and belonging, diving into discussions, fan theories, and fanfiction. Shows like “FBI,” produced by Dick Wolf, show how fandoms can drive massive viewer engagement. A 2023 Paramount study found that the show is not only well-known nationwide, but also brings different people together, tackles relevant social issues, and delivers thrilling, action-packed stories.

 

Building New Fans with More Content Availability

Thanks to streaming, it’s easier than ever for new viewers to jump on board to both new and old shows. This accessibility is key to building new fandoms at any time. For example:

 

  1. Binge-Watching: 42% of American TV watchers binge-watch at least half the time they watch TV (YouGov, 2022). This lets new viewers catch up on entire series quickly, joining the fandom without the long wait.
  2. Serialized Content: Serialized shows with story arcs spanning multiple episodes or seasons help new fans dive deep into the narrative world, leading to more active fandom participation.
  3. Community and Discussion: Streaming platforms often have built-in communities where fans can discuss episodes, share theories, and connect with like-minded folks. This social aspect is a powerful tool for keeping interest alive and building new fandoms.
  4. Global Reach: Streaming services have a global reach, allowing shows to gain international fanbases. Shows like “FBI” can reach viewers in different countries who might not have had access through traditional broadcasting. 
     

It’s not just new shows reaping these advantages, time-honored series have gained new fans as the ability to watch and connect with a program has expanded. Recent studies of long-running Paramount programs have shown that many viewers became fans in just the last two years: 

Fandoms and Social Connection  

Fandoms offer more than just a way to enjoy TV shows; they provide a sense of belonging and connection. It’s through fandoms that audiences not only get to explore the content they love most, but also where they bond and develop kinship with people like them.

 

91% agree "that technological advancements (e.g. social media) have made it easier for people to connect with other fans." – Popular is Paramount Study, 2023

 

Creating and sustaining these fan communities involves more than just producing great content. It requires engaging with fans through social media, offering exclusive behind-the-scenes content, and supporting fan events. Social media is a critical lever for keeping fans engaged even during off-seasons. For example, “Yellowstone’s” social accounts gained 2 Million followers (+28%) since its last live airing on January 1st, 2023.  

 

A childhood staple for many Millennials, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise launched a YouTube channel in May 2023, 35 years after the original TV series premiered. The channel’s 317M+ video views and 3M+ subscribers stem from fans new and old, providing parents an outlet to share the enjoyment of a beloved franchise with their own children.

 

Paramount Advertising's Insights Hub showcases smart, always-on insights and creative inspiration to help partners thrive in the ever-evolving media landscape. Contact your Paramount Advertising sales representative to schedule a presentation, or reach out to us for additional questions.

How to "Have a Moment"

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How to "Have a Moment"

In today’s fast-moving and fragmented culture, brands are challenged to market in the margins. Yet, big moments still matter, more than ever — with fans seeking out and rallying around these monocultural events that fuel conversation and unparalleled audience engagement.

Paramount Advertising's Insights Hub showcases smart, always-on insights and creative inspiration to help partners thrive in the ever-evolving media landscape. Contact your Paramount Advertising sales representative to schedule a presentation, or reach out to us for additional questions.

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