In 2012, the world met a blank-eyed, ice-cream-covered humanoid spooning itself on camera — and we’ve never looked at dessert the same way since. The ad, titled “This Is a Special Time”, was created by the now-defunct Little Baby’s Ice Cream, a Philadelphia-based brand known for its experimental flavours and even more experimental marketing.
Dripping with surrealism, unease, and viral potential, the ad quickly became an internet sensation. Viewers were equal parts horrified and hypnotised, with its eerie narration (“There’s good reason for my glistening skin…”) earning meme status across platforms.
Beneath the weirdness, though, was a stroke of marketing genius. The unsettling imagery ensured no one forgot the name Little Baby’s Ice Cream — proving that sometimes being too weird to ignore is the best brand strategy.
A decade later, it’s still one of the most unforgettable — and unsettling — viral video ads in internet history.
