Max VanderAarde: The Freezer Tarps Story

 Max VanderAarde, commonly known as “Cheddy,” is a 23-year-old social media influencer and business owner. He started the Instagram page, Freezer Tarps, in October of 2020. The content consisted of funny videos and unique lingo, meant mainly to amuse Cheddy’s friends. The popularity of Freezer Tarps quickly exploded, ultimately gaining nearly a million followers across the main social media platforms. Due to Cheddy’s videos going viral, you will hear the terms he coined, used across the country. Terms such as Zynbabwe, Zynachino, Upperdeckys, Lip Pillows, etc., are used everywhere from college bars to the golf course with your dad’s friends. How did VanderAarde change the vernacular of millions of Americans, and how was he able to turn his charisma and knack for creative wordplay into a successful business?

The success of Freezer Tarps can possibly be seen as a part of a larger trend of comedic videos turning into much more, as seen in many popular social media pages and covered across media outlets. What makes Cheddy such an interesting case compared to other accounts is how quickly his unique terminology became ingrained in the speech of people all over the country. Additionally, unlike other social media groups with similar origin stories, Cheddy is the sole face of Freezer Tarps. Therein lies one of the key components of his success up to this point: he doesn’t rely on an entire team being likable or popular. Instead, VanderAarde relies on his charisma and confidence to make what sounds like gibberish morph overnight into terms used in the lexicon of people from many walks of life.

Confident wordplay alone doesn’t account for the success of Freezer Tarps or Cheddy. Multiple products have sprouted from the popular social media page, even products (strangely enough) such as shampoo. The most recent product to come from Freezer Tarps is a caffeinated pouch (found at upperdeckys.com). These pouches, called “Upperdeckys,” are relaunching in the summer of 2024. Nicotine pouches may have been originally meant as simply a smokeless nicotine alternative, however they have become a large part of the fitness culture. Upperdeckys could change the game for weightlifters by offering a healthier energy boost while at the gym. According to the Freezer Tarps team, their new pouch in development, the Iron Chapel, “Aims to provide the kick you need in pouch form.” Instead of consuming sugary drinks or pricey coffee products, Upperdeckys could be the solution to those days where you don’t have the energy to get a good workout in; the perfect kick in the butt to keep you on track.

So how did a simple comedic social media page become the source of a successful business? Marketing. It sounds simple, perhaps almost foolish, but the way in which these serious and profitable products are marketed perfectly matches the rest of Freezer Tarps’ content. Cheddy promotes his products with the same comedic tone and confidence that he would use in the rest of his videos, giving the audience a similar experience to his normal content. It feels more like you are watching a video for pleasure than it feels as though you are being sold a product. Clearly this method of marketing works because it not only turns heads, but the products are quality enough to back up to promotion. Although Freezer Tarps is not alone in using public figures known for their comedy to almost disguise advertisements by making them genuinely enjoyable to watch (such as Tim Heidecker and Eric Warheim’s advertisement for Purple Mattresses), Cheddy’s tone and delivery seem to be a very effective way to promote products. His genuine comedic tone makes his content appealing to the general public and his viewers.

As often comes with a high level of success and fame, Cheddy could be considered a somewhat controversial figure. However, like it or not, the influence of Freezer Tarps and VanderAarde in particular seems to be here to stay. There is something to be said for the catchy, almost contagious nature of someone who is unapologetically committed to their persona. Whether tuning in for his original content or his innovative new products, you can’t help but pay attention. At this point it is clear, Cheddy is a name to remember now and in the coming years.