The Bizarre 14-Year Journey Of The 'Little Lad Berries And Cream': From Starburst Ad To TikTok Sensation

Every so often, the internet reaches into its vast archive of forgotten media and resurrects a truly bizarre piece of content, transforming it into a viral phenomenon. As of late 2024 and heading into 2025, the subject of this digital archaeology is none other than the "Little Lad" from the 2007 Starburst commercial for their 'Berries and Creme' flavor. This seemingly innocuous, if unsettling, advertisement has enjoyed a massive, multi-year resurgence, becoming one of the most recognizable earworms and dance trends on TikTok, years after its initial run. The story behind the Little Lad is a fascinating deep dive into meme culture, advertising history, and the life of the performer who brought the character to life.

The original commercial, which debuted in 2007, was a promotional piece for a new Starburst flavor. It featured a man in a peculiar, historical-looking outfit—complete with a bowl haircut and an embroidered collar—who interrupts a conversation to declare his love for the flavor with a high-pitched voice and an unnervingly enthusiastic, repetitive dance. The line, "Berries and cream, berries and cream, I'm a little lad who loves berries and cream," became instantly memorable, though the ad itself was largely considered "cursed" or simply strange by early internet audiences, laying the groundwork for its future meme status.

Who is the 'Little Lad'? A Jack Ferver Biography

The performer behind the iconic, wide-eyed "Little Lad" is Jack Ferver. Far from being a child actor, Ferver is an established and highly respected figure in the New York performing arts scene, which adds a layer of surrealism to their most famous role. Their professional life is primarily centered around avant-garde theater, choreography, and teaching, making the Starburst ad a curious outlier on their extensive resume.

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• Full Name: Jack Ferver
• Pronouns: They/Them
• Primary Professions: Writer, Choreographer, Director, Performer, Teacher
• Base of Operations: New York City, USA
• Artistic Style: Known for creating provocative, emotionally intense, and often humorous works that blend dance, theater, and performance art.
• Notable Works (Outside Starburst): Ferver's work has been presented at prestigious venues such as the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the New York Live Arts, and The Kitchen.
• Teaching Career: They have taught at institutions including Bard College and New York University (NYU).
• Relationship with the Role: While initially reluctant to embrace the role that overshadowed their serious artistic work, Ferver has since acknowledged its cultural impact, even launching a TikTok account and a Cameo profile during the meme's resurgence.
• The Starburst Ad: Filmed in 2007 to promote the 'Berries and Creme' Starburst flavor.

The Starburst Commercial and the Birth of the 'Little Lad Dance'

The "Little Lad" commercial was part of a series of surreal, attention-grabbing ads Starburst ran in the mid-2000s, but this one stood out for its sheer oddity. The campaign was intended to be memorable, and over a decade later, it proved to be a resounding success, albeit in a way no one could have predicted.

The Anatomy of the Commercial

The original 2007 commercial, directed by Randy Krallman, features a man offering a friend the new 'Berries and Creme' Starburst. The friend then encounters the Little Lad, who is dressed in a style that can only be described as a collision between colonial fashion and a '70s children's show. The Little Lad performs a stiff, bouncy, side-to-side walk, accompanied by a rhythmic clapping of their hands, all while chanting the now-famous phrase.

The dance quickly earned its own entity status: the Little Lad Dance. It’s a simple, yet highly distinctive, movement that involves shuffling in place with a pronounced, almost mechanical bounce. The full lyrics of the earworm are short and sweet: "Berries and cream, berries and cream, I'm a little lad who loves berries and cream."

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The First Wave of Virality (2007-2010)

Even in the nascent days of YouTube and internet forums, the commercial gained traction. It was widely shared and discussed, often labeled as "creepy," "bizarre," or "unsettling." This initial wave of curiosity and mild discomfort cemented the Little Lad in the early internet's collective memory as a piece of "cursed" media. The Starburst 'Berries and Creme' flavor itself was not long-lived, but the character endured in the shadows of early meme culture.

The TikTok Resurgence and Modern Meme Evolution (2021-Present)

The Little Lad's journey from forgotten ad to global phenomenon is a perfect case study in the power of TikTok. The character’s major resurgence began in early 2021, over 14 years after the commercial first aired.

The Catalyst: Justin McElroy and Sound Remixes

The trend was largely kicked off by podcaster and comedian Justin McElroy, who posted a TikTok video in January 2021 featuring the Little Lad's audio. This video, and subsequent remixes, launched the sound into the stratosphere. The original audio was quickly remixed into various musical genres, from trap and techno to hyperpop, creating a versatile soundtrack for thousands of user-generated videos.

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The trend capitalized on several modern meme aesthetics:

• Nostalgia: Tapping into the shared memory of early 2000s internet culture.
• Cottagecore/Vintage Aesthetic: The Little Lad’s distinctive, old-fashioned outfit, bowl haircut, and embroidered collar fit perfectly with the popular cottagecore and vintage trends on the platform.
• The Dance Challenge: The "Little Lad Dance" itself is simple and easy to replicate, making it an ideal format for a dance challenge. Users would often perform the bouncy shuffle, sometimes in full costume, or use the sound in a comedic context.

The Real Little Lad Responds

The massive resurgence did not go unnoticed by the original performer, Jack Ferver. Initially, Ferver had expressed a desire to move past the role to focus on their serious artistic endeavors. However, they fully embraced the meme in September 2021, creating a TikTok account under the handle @thereallittlelad.

Ferver posted multiple videos in the full 'Little Lad' costume, performing the dance and interacting with fans, which thrilled the community and gave the meme a new layer of authenticity. This decision to lean into the virality allowed Ferver to engage directly with the culture they inadvertently helped create. They also set up a Cameo account, offering personalized messages as the Little Lad.

The Brand Joins the Fun

Even the original candy brand, Starburst, got in on the action. In a clear nod to the meme's popularity and its perfect timing for the spooky season, Starburst released an official Little Lad Halloween Costume. This move solidified the character’s transition from a forgotten commercial figure to a recognized pop culture entity, proving that sometimes, the strangest marketing efforts can have the longest shelf life.

The Little Lad's story is a testament to the unpredictable nature of internet fame. A 14-year-old commercial, once deemed "cursed," found a second life and massive audience thanks to a single soundbite and a unique dance, cementing the 'Little Lad Berries and Cream' as a timeless piece of viral history.