CASE STUDY

Kraft: Mac n Cheese Noodle traveling brand moment

3D PROP

Boston MA, Chicago IL
Branded Environments, Custom Fabrication, Out of Home Advertising, Pop Ups

Executive Summary

Crispin Porter Bogusky needed a place-based campaign for Kraft Mac & Cheese that could stop people in their tracks at national landmarks across the country. NPARALLEL + Atomic Props designed and fabricated five 20-foot, 9,600-pound noodle statues built to withstand years of public interaction, cross-country travel, and every climate in between.

Over a five-year span, the statues appeared at landmark locations in Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, Green Bay, and Los Angeles, drawing crowds and earning local news coverage at every stop.

Business Challenge

Crispin Porter Bogusky came to NPARALLEL + Atomic Props with a bold creative concept: giant Kraft Mac & Cheese noodles, unmistakably oversized, installed at recognizable landmarks in major markets across the United States.

The concept only worked if the statues could survive contact with the public at scale. Each piece needed to hold up to constant touching, climbing, and photographing across a multi-year, multi-city run, in climates ranging from Los Angeles sun to Green Bay winters.

Because the statues would travel from market to market, the logistics of transport, setup, and teardown had to be solved before fabrication ever began, not worked out after the fact.

Goals & Objectives

Create a place-based activation bold enough to stop people at some of the country's most recognizable landmarks
Engineer statues durable enough for years of public interaction across varied climates
Build in the logistics for repeat travel and installation across five major markets
Deliver a piece that reads as unmistakably Kraft Mac & Cheese at a glance

Our Solution

Sculpting the Original

Our team carved an original noodle from foam, then used it to build the mold for production. That single mold became the basis for all five statues, keeping every noodle consistent in shape and scale.

Fiberglass Fabrication

We shot fiberglass into the mold to fabricate each 20-foot statue, then built a welded steel armature into each piece to give it the structural strength to stand up to years of public contact.

Finish Built to Last & Built for Every Climate

An automotive paint finish gave each statue a durable, weather-resistant surface designed to hold its color and shine through repeat installs and constant handling.

For colder installations like Lambeau Field in Green Bay, we added radiant heat to the statues, keeping fans comfortable enough to stay and engage with the piece even in the winter cold.

Engineering for the Road

Because the statues were designed to travel and set at multiple events and locations, we built the transport and installation logistics into the engineering from day one, not as an afterthought once fabrication was underway.

Results

The Kraft Mac & Cheese noodle statues appeared at national landmarks in Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, Green Bay, and Los Angeles over a five-year period, drawing steady crowds and earning local newscast coverage at multiple stops along the way.

Toured 5 major markets over a 5-year campaign
Each statue measured 20 feet tall and weighed 9,600 pounds
Engineered for safe public interaction across varied climates and conditions
Earned local newscast coverage in multiple markets
Sharpened NPARALLEL + Atomic Props' engineering approach for large-scale builds that deploy safely across many sites and conditions

Ready To Build Your Next Landmark MOMent?

From concept sculpting to cross-country logistics, we specialize in fabricating oversized installations that hold up to years of public interaction without losing an ounce of impact.

Whether you need a single showstopping statue or a piece engineered to travel the country, our team brings the fabrication expertise and engineering discipline to bring any brand activation to life.