# Soap Opera Doll Ads These New French Toast Crunch Ads Parody the Soap Opera Formula of the '90s By Vasiliki Marapas | Published 2015-06-05 | Marketing Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/french-toast-crunch References: [adweek](http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/tiny-dolls-act-out-hilarious-soap-operas-over-single-pieces-french-toast-crunch-165139) & [blog.generalmills](http://www.blog.generalmills.com/2015/05/cereal-soap-opera/) [General Mills'](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/general-mills-and-marvel-studios) is reintroducing French Toast Crunch to the market after a nine-year absence. To re-welcome the [breakfast cereal](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/demogorgon-crunch), initially launched in 1995, the company developed an interesting marketing campaign that blended soap operas and dolls. Specifically, the ads involve dolls parodying typical soap opera plots: murder, unexpected pregnancy and, of course, amnesia. A soap opera would be remiss without a good 'ol case of forgotten memory! McCann's creative director Bill Wright references the [90s origin](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fruithead) of the product, explaining, "That was the decade when daytime dramas were at their height of popularity. So when you take soap operas and cross them with tiny dolls, you get a strangely awesome mashup." Though strange, the clips will undoubtedly be hilarious (and nostalgic) for fans. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.9/10 - Popularity: 18% | Activity: 32% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Marketing](https://www.trendhunter.com/marketing) > [Commercials](https://www.trendhunter.com/commercials) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Nostalgia Marketing:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create marketing campaigns that tap into consumers' nostalgia for a particular decade or era. - **Parody Advertising:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop ads that humorously mock and satirize established advertising tropes or cultural references. - **Cross-industry Mashups:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Combine elements from different industries or genres to create unexpected and entertaining content. ### Who This Affects Most - **Cereal Industry:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Invent new cereal flavors or revamp existing ones to attract nostalgic consumers with a modern twist. - **Toy Industry:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Design dolls or action figures that are inspired by popular cultural references or specific eras to appeal to adult collectors. - **Advertising Industry:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Produce inventive and unconventional ad campaigns that surprise and entertain audiences, making them memorable and shareable. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Dark-Comedy Inspired Cereals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wednesday-cereal.md) - [Nostalgia-Inducing Cereal Toys](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cereal-squad.md) - [Retro Snack Cake Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/rosettes.md) - [Cartoon-Themed Cereals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kelpo.md) - [Macaron-Flavored Cereals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kelloggs-miraculous-cereal.md) - [Emoji-Inspired Cereal Launches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cinnamoji-toast-crunch.md) - [Nostalgic Skincare Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/neutrogena-remembers.md) - [Miniature Breakfast Cereals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mini-cereals.md) - [Text Message Cereal Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/weetabix-have-you-had-yours.md)