Melissa WardThis year, Feb. 2 wasn’t just Groundhog Day — it was also Super Bowl LIV, and while we did get to see the furry critter and Bill Murray team up again in a Jeep ad, there was more than cute rodents and amusing gimmicks during the Big Game’s commercials. With the cost of a 30-second Super Bowl ad clocking in at $5.6 million, stakes were high, as usual, and ads ran the gamut from quirky to nostalgic, with some political and heart string-pulling ads debuted as well.
One of the standout Super Bowl ads of the evening was Snickers’ and BBDO’s “#SnickersFixTheWorld” campaign, which illustrates how the candy maker plans to fix the world. The ad, which loosely spoofs Coca-Cola’s 1971 “Hilltop” commercial (you know the one, where you’d “like to buy the world a Coke, and keep it company.”) provided its own weird twist on a community coming together and singing.
“SnickersFixtheWorld,” which launched with a 30-second version as its Super Bowl ad, is the latest evolution of Snickers’ award-winning “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” campaign. And considering the number of challenges faced globally today, ranging from the Coronavirus to climate change, immigration issues and presidential impeachment, the idea of using chocolate to calm down the world does offer some comic relief. If only it was that easy.
Snickers Brand Director Josh Olken commented:
“Since the first Super Bowl spot 10 years ago, we’ve shown the power of Snickers to satisfy when you’re out of sorts. Our attempt to ‘fix the world’ is a new angle, and our biggest yet: When the world itself is out of sorts, maybe it just needs a Snickers.”
The Super Bowl ad , while maybe not as quirky as others (I’m looking at you, Bryan Cranston and Mountain Dew), definitely resonated with other advertising professionals, especially Super Clio jurors who selected the Snickers ad as the Super Clio winner for 2020.
Super Clio juror Jaime Robinson, Co-Founder & CCO of Joan Creative commented:
“It was a lively and engaging discussion and we talked at length about idea, execution, and the very specific media event that is the Super Bowl. In the end, we loved Snickers for being so in-tune with the world as it is right now, for being a fresh idea that re-frames a longstanding campaign, and for having a really, really good laugh at the overly earnest ads of recent Super Bowls past. It seems sadvertising’s reign might just be coming to an end.”
But for Snickers, its Super Bowl ad was just the beginning. Following the Kansas City Chief’s win, Snickers placed the following print ad in the Kansas City Star, cheekily taking credit for the team’s first Super Bowl win in 50 years:
Credit: Snickers/BBDO
Shifting from #SnickersFixtheWorld” to #SnickersFixedtheWorld, the brand has created two 15-second spots showcasing how throwing a huge Snickers into a hole in the earth has begun to fix things. Titled “Chancellor” and “Online Date,” both shorts feature actor Luis Guzman giving credit to Snickers for the wins.
It will be interesting to see where else Snickers takes the #SnickersFixtheWorld” campaign — what other issues the candy maker will tackle, and what channels the campaign will spread to.
What do you think marketers? Did Snickers deserve the Super Clio, or was there a more worthy Super Bowl ad? Let me know in the comments below.
