Kraft Foods is reaching out to patriotic Americans including the influential segment of mommy bloggers in its campaign for Singles cheese slices celebrating small-town America and asking participants “What’s the Single Best Town in America?”

The company, which has been putting more advertising weight behind iconic brands such as Philadelphia Cream Cheese and Oreo cookies during the recession, said “the effort is an attempt to stem frequent brand switching among heavy users of the category.”

The user-generated content (UGC) contest asks participants to submit a photo and a short description of what they consider to be the best single thing in their hometown, whether it’s an annual fair or hometown team.

Promotion is running on the Disney-owned ABC daytime soap channels starring the country music group Love and Theft. Members, Brian Bandas, Stephen Barker Liles and Eric Gunderson playfully banter on the TV spot about whose hometown is the best.

Sales of Kraft Singles are down 17.5 per cent to $380 million, though the company reports that it has since rebounded in part due to the authentic American campaigns.

Kraft has also included social media site Facebook to share contest content by asking friends to vote on your town between March 11, 2010 and April 11, 2010. The winner of the contest will receive a block party hosted by members of Love and Theft and a special appearance by the winners favourite ABC soap stars.

The goal of the latest promo is to “reinforce to moms that Kraft Singles is the authentic American Cheese and that there is no other cheese like it.”