Hershey is upending cinematic conventions to reinforce Twizzlers as an ideal movie snack.
The “Better With a Twist” campaign features commercials by FCB Canada that add twists to different film scenarios, like a police detective arresting a suspect, who it then turns out is her long-lost evil twin, much to the surprise of two viewers.
In addition, there are a number of print and social ads that tinker with the element of surprise from iconic movie lines, like Dorothy’s famous remark from The Wizard of Oz where she is, in fact, still in Kansas.
“Twizzlers has strong nostalgic association with the cinema experience, as well as sporting venues like ball parks, which we have leaned into over the years,” says Nicole Mahon, marketing manager for Twizzlers at Hershey. “Our new campaign adds a unique spin to an iconic movie scenario to remind consumers that Twizzlers is the perfect snack to enjoy while watching their favourite movies.”
As Hershey’s top-performing candy brand, Mahon says Twizzlers continues to be a growth priority for the company, with a broad appeal that extends to older demographics who are less interested in bold-flavoured gummies. Mahon tells strategy that the latest campaign is an evolution of the brand’s effort from three years ago, “Untwist with Twizzlers,” which had a playful approach that encouraged consumers to unwind and relax.
Twizzlers is activating in store this summer with a Cineplex partnership that further builds on the brand’s connection to the movie watching experience. In partnership with media agency UM, Hershey also identified Spotify as a natural fit for the creative idea of a “twist” to connect with sports fans, with an audio spot in which a baseball commentator talks about a streaker running out onto the diamond.
The current focus of the program is the key summer months, where Twizzlers sees its strongest seasonality and is highly associated with key summer usage occasions. The new Twizzlers ads will appear in TV, cinema and online videos. The buy also has a significant presence in soap operas, the show format most closely linked to silly twists.
