Few things seem more personal than a blog; and few messages are as impactful as those in video. That’s why marketers for Snickers decided to tap into the increasingly powerful vlogging community for its most recent iteration of the popular “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” campaign.
“Bloggers—and vloggers—are strong influencers with dedicated fans and followings, which can make them powerful voices for brands,” says Allison Miazga-Bedrick, senior brand director, general manager for Mars Chocolate North America, parent company of Snickers. “Marketers can successfully leverage that influence to deliver original content that’s tailored to the blogger’s specific audience.”
For Snickers, that target audience is global, and it’s young—namely millennial.
So rather than a pricey ad slated during an expensive 30-second slot during yet another high-profile, televised event, marketers for Snickers decided to use the compelling aspect of video and the engaging features of blogging to connect with hungry, young consumers.
“Video is compelling because it’s visual, sharable, and influential,” Miazga-Bedrick explains. “But it also must be relevant to engage audiences.”
So with strategy from AMV BBDO, brand marketers for Snickers solicited 13 popular vloggers—video bloggers who primarily share content on YouTube—to each showcase a vlog on what happens when they’re hungry and off their games. The eclectic group poked fun at themselves with fun, quirky videos released in eight markets across the globe, including Brazil, Eygpt, Lebanon, Puerto Rico, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States.
Entitled “How to Let Yourself Go,” here’s a look at the Snickers U.S. vlog from style and motivational guru Jessica Harlow:
Posted in April, Harlow’s video already has nearly two million views on YouTube.
“Vloggers were a natural fit to play with the ‘You’re Not You When You’re Hungry’ campaign concept because it’s very visual; and each vlogger has his or her own established identity and voice that we were able to have fun with,” Miazga-Bedrick says. “We loved seeing all of their interpretations. And vloggers already have a built-in audience that we can reach with our brand message.”
Marketers for Snickers say it’s no longer about simply creating a message to send to the masses; it’s about meeting that audience on their turfs, including their likes, and using their favorite platforms—like YouTube.
“The campaign has a lot of potential for creativity that consumers really enjoy, and the digital space is a natural extension of the campaign,” Miazga-Bedrick continues. “Here, the influencers drove the content—and clearly had a lot of fun with their different interpretations, which delivered funny, engaging results.”
But does funny translate into success for the brand?
“I’d absolutely call this campaign successful for several reasons,” Miazga-Bedrick insists. “It is a truly global initiative that allows us to reach our consumers around the world…. [And] it speaks to the creativity of the influencers.”
She says success is not just about metrics and sales; it’s about true impact: “Each vlogger created humorous, engaging content that fostered conversations and reactions from their audiences.”
Results that continue to satisfy viewers’ hunger for great content and marketers’ desire to make real connections: “Flat out, this initiative allows us to act in a bold, iconic way across the globe.”
