Where does Strings & Things’ rap rank in the ‘brand rap’ canon?

Indulging in rap stylings can be a questionable brand move, and yet many take on the challenge, including, most recently Strings & Things. But how did they fare?

Cheese snack Strings & Things is back with a campaign designed to ‘delight families and reignite the joy of playful snacking’ - through rap apparently.

Created by BMB, the campaign marks the launch of a new brand platform called ‘Fun Om Nom Nom’ for the Kerry Dairy Consumer Foods product, reminding parents that while Strings & Things is packed with fun, it’s also a healthy snack.

At the heart of the campaign is a high-energy, two-minute-long rap that will be distributed on major music streaming services. Alongside the song, a 30-second ‘hero’ film styled as a music video features one of the verses, will air on TV. It stars Elijah and his family, transforming a family picnic into a spontaneous performance of an original song, ‘Fun Om Nom Nom’.

When Elijah opens his lunchbox, the camera dips inside to reveal a playful, music-fuelled world brought to life through singing, dancing and joyful snacking. The film ends with a light-hearted moment as his dad joins in, enjoying a Strings & Things snack of his own.

Grime appeal

The spot was directed by British Grime’s go-to director Matthew Walker, known for his work with Skepta, Stormzy, Dizzee Rascal and JME, through Mindseye. His work is impressive, albeit this time in a more family-friendly guise.

The original soundtrack was co-created by the agency, director, Pitch & Sync and the cast. It was developed with ‘in-depth insight and research’ among parents, which consistently showed a strong emotional connection to the brand and excitement for its return in a modern format.

The campaign will also run across BVOD, radio and social media channels and will be live for two months from 11th August 2025. Media planning and buying was handled by Goodstuff.

Sarah Davies, head of core brands and business at Kerry Dairy Consumer Foods, said: "With this campaign, we're proudly bringing Strings & Things back into the spotlight, not just as a nostalgic favourite for parents, but as a genuinely joyful and nutritious option in today’s snack category. It’s a playful reminder that fun and goodness can go hand in hand.”

Brand rap

While it can hardly be said that brands and hip-hop are incompatible, there is a certain risk in using the medium too overtly or with cultural insensitivity in the context of a TV spot. However, many have made attempts with varying degrees of success.

Sprite’s Obey Your Thirst’ (1994) embraces a bit of hip-hop appeal.

The ad succeeds, however, because it is self-referential about its potential ‘whackness’. The brand also made a direct appeal to the rap community (much like Strings & Things), in this case including original raps by hip-hop artists like Kurtis Blow, Kid N Play, and Heavy D.

Another successful rap outing was achieved by Adidas in its Run-DMC Partnership (1986).

Following Run-DMC’s song ‘My Adidas’, the brand signed a historic endorsement deal and produced a commercial featuring the group rapping while showcasing Adidas apparel. The ad works because it keeps things raw and unencumbered by overt brand references.

Gap also bought in some 'old school'.

While at the time it was actually a ‘current school’ rap, nonetheless enlisting LL Cool J to provide some lyrical stylings was a smart move. It’s of its time, but feels authentic and on brand to this day, regardless.

Lil Flip does a cheap garage sale commercial

Perhaps it's unfair to feature this low-budget production for a garage sale. However, we include it as a lesson in what not to do to avoid cringe.

For balance then, here’s a big brand getting it wrong.

Burger King faced criticism for playing to stereotypes by having Mary J Blige sing a jingle about chicken. It also fails to be particularly catchy or well-conceived.

Credits

Advertiser: Kerry Dairy Consumer Foods
Brand: Strings & Things
Campaign: “Fun Om Nom Nom”
Creative agency: BMB
Chief creative officer: Laurent Simon
CSO: Sarah Clark
Managing partner: Matt Bonny
Account manager: Hannah Stafford
Strategy director: Rich Harrison
Creative director: Dave Beattie
Senior creatives: Andy and Katie Burrell
Designer: Sam Hamer
Head of production: Ryan O’Kane
Agency producer: Adam Farley
Production company: Mindseye
Exec producer/founder: Charlie Phillips
Director: Matthew Walker
Producer: Ersan Beşkardeş
Music: Pitch & Sync
Media planning/buying: Goodstuff