Kids love ice cream, but adults deserve it more because of all the crap they put up with, according to Halo Top Creamery’s first integrated TV campaign, “Ice Cream for Adults.”

Four 30-second video spots debuted on Tuesday that highlight the contrast between childhood innocence and the stresses of being an adult. In each spot, children approach a Halo Top branded ice cream truck but are denied by the snarky operator, who gives them an unsolicited reality check about adult life instead.

Halo Top is using existential dread as an affirmation that it’s okay to binge eat a whole pint of ice cream if it’s only 300 calories.

“I believe everyone can relate to the need for ice cream after a rough day,” said Justin Woolverton, Halo Top CEO and founder in a statement.

“Ice Cream for Adults” will run on broadcast, print, digital and social channels beginning March 5 and on through the summer. The campaign was directed by Tim Godsall, who has created a number of tongue-in-cheek commercials including “Opulence” for DirecTV and “Stand Off” for Xbox.

Each Halo Top spot focuses on a particular adult pain point. In “Mortgage,” a man likens having a mortgage to “waterboarding, only you do it to yourself.” The Bachelor star Nick Viall makes an appearance in the “Love” spot, having earned his ice cream for experiencing public heartbreak.

“Swiping” decries the woes of online dating when you’re not photogenic and “Work” bursts a daughter’s bubble about her mother’s promotion attempts.

The US ice cream market experienced a modest 1.6 percent growth in 2018, according to Nielsen. American consumers are demanding more transparency on labels and healthy options, Nielsen observed, noting good sources of fiber and protein as well as sugar substitutes and vegan recipes as major drivers of sales growth.

Halo Top offers vegan ice cream options, less sugar and more protein, which taps into this growing market. Eighty-nine percent of last year’s growth came from ice cream products with a high source of fiber, Nielsen observed, while 18 percent of sales dollars were spent on frozen treats with a sugar substitute.

According to estimates by Mordor Intelligence, the global ice cream market value is expected to reach $89.5 billion by 2023.

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