Jennifer Labus, MD and head of client services at Nitro China, said the work marked a significant change in approach for the brand in China, as previous advertising had served a purely educational purpose, increasing understanding of the nature of the product but failing to make an emotional connection with potential consumers.
“We realised that Snickers wasn’t top-of-mind for people when they were hungry and wanted a snack,” Labus said.
“We also realised that young men want to be seen as ‘men of substance’, which is achieved through active experience. Showing off is important in China, but it’s not about beating friends, more about connecting with them. So we decided to use sports to present Snickers as a way of satisfying hunger to keep up with friends.”
Labus added that the campaign sought to underline Snickers as being a “big eat” for men, explaining that chocolate had a largely feminine image in China. “Chocolate is traditionally delicately consumed in China,” she noted. “We wanted to help people understand Snickers to be a fuel to keep you going, to allow you to keep doing what you enjoy - and not an indulgence.”
The push, due to run until the start of the Beijing Olympics in August, opens with a TV spot featuring two teenage boys in a classroom who engage in a stylised martial arts contest. Midway through the fight, the question ‘Hungry?’ appears on the board. The boys take a break during which they each enjoy a Snickers bar. The battle then continues, with one boy sending the other flying into the next classroom. The spot ends with the message: ‘Snickers takes out all hunger and provides unlimited energy’.
Snickers does not have much direct competition in China, where most chocolate is sold in blocks, Labus noted. While Snickers’ activities have so far been centred in the colder areas in the north of the country, the new campaign would aim to expand the brand’s reach, targeting a total of 18 markets. The campaign will enlarge on the theme introduced by the TVC with online, in-store elements and specialised local events.
