Key Takeaways:
- Egg prices in the U.S. are projected to rise by 57.6% this year, following a 12.5% increase in February.
- MGA Entertainment and Nova Starr turned rising egg costs into a playful push for Easter toys.
- Child influencers help brands turn seasonal campaigns into high-impact commerce.
This year, egg prices in the U.S. are projected to surge by a whopping 57.6%, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
This follows the 12.5% increase that occurred in February.
American toy and entertainment giant MGA Entertainment and global creative agency VIRTUE teamed up to address the rising cost of eggs with a shoppable music video featuring a one-of-a-kind track performed by TikTok talent.
The “MGA Presents: EGG$$$$$” campaign has one message: that seasonal toys don’t have to be as expensive as eggs and that, in fact, kids would rather want toys instead of eggs for Easter.
The music video was directed by Daniel Iglesias Jr., who was recently nominated for "Best Direction" at the 2024 Billboard Music Awards and the MTV Music Awards.
For this 360-degree campaign, VIRTUE focused on the speed of culture by combining its signature disruptive marketing, top-tier talent, and high-quality production to engage Easter and spring holiday shoppers.
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Pulse Films, an award-winning production and talent management company that’s part of VICE Media, provided the talent for the spot.
Kerry Tucker, Co-President of VIRTUE, said the agency is “all about” fresh ideas that help connect brands to their audiences in unexpected ways.
“That’s why we’re so excited to partner with MGA again to disrupt the norm of toy marketing with this catchy, vibrant, shoppable music video campaign.
MGA’s focus on innovation in all they do redefines how toys are marketed and purchased, proving that Easter gifting can be just as fun as the toys themselves!"
The campaign follows a playful take at Christmas with “The Rizzler” — a nine-year-old TikTok child influencer known for his “rizz face,” an expression with squinty eyes and pursing lips.
This time round, MGA Entertainment employed the talents of Nova Starr, a seven-year-old model and music artist.
MGA Entertainment CMO Josh Hackbarth said the “MGA Presents: EGG$$$” campaign reflects the company’s goal of giving children a voice on what they really want for the holidays.
“It’s a high-energy, engaging, and fresh way to inspire families to rethink their Easter and spring holiday traditions, and we can’t wait for everyone to experience the fun,” he added.
That shift in mindset reflects broader changes in how families celebrate.
As grocery prices climb, many parents are swapping food gifts for toys, and MGA leaned into this trend with “The Rizzler.” Now, it’s bringing that same energy to Easter with “EGG$$$$$.”
Toy Marketing Gets Star Power
The brand and agency turned rising egg prices into a clever cultural hook, using a shoppable, TikTok-driven music video to position seasonal toys as the better Easter buy.
This creates brand heat, drives customer engagement, and reframes gift-giving habits around MGA’s toy lines.
The nearly three-minute spot opens with Starr rapping about egg prices while standing on a table in a grandiose mansion.
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She is surrounded by other young girls in similar “high-end” fashion, and all the traditional features of a rap video — backup dancers, a pink sports car, and luxurious interiors.
“Eggs are out and toys are in,” Starr raps as she rides a shopping cart down an aisle lined with eggs, adding that kids don’t want to decorate eggs for Easter.
In the next scene, she is seen in a hedge maze, surrounded by the L.O.L. Surprise!, MGA’s Miniverse, Moj Moj, and other toys.
In the pièce de résistance of the spot, Nova Starr stands on a mound of toys while rapping: “We don’t want to decorate eggs, all right, MGA toys made a girlie get hype.”
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MGA and VIRTUE didn’t just market toys — they repositioned them as timely, culturally relevant alternatives to rising grocery costs.
This sets a new benchmark for competitors: seasonal campaigns now need both commerce and charisma to stand out.
Traditional ad spots won’t cut it in a feed-first world.
By pairing rising egg prices with kid-powered charisma, MGA and VIRTUE prove that when you place cultural currency in the hands of child influencers, toys don’t just sell.
They become must-haves, turning playful content into powerful commerce.
