2020 Winner

CASE SUMMARY

Challenges and Goals
In early 2019, Reese introduced Reese’s Pieces Peanut, the company’s first product innovation in more than 40 years. The agency was tasked with delivering $3 million in incremental sales to drive 4.6% brand growth. Meeting those targets required driving awareness of the new product, generating trial among 1.8% of target consumers and getting 20% of those shoppers to repeat purchase.

The brand’s biggest competitor, M&M’s, had more than 60 years of equity in its peanut edition. Even a brand as well-known as Reese’s Pieces faced an uphill battle. Further complicating that mission, the confectionery category was experiencing a multi-year decline, which meant smaller marketing budgets at Hershey’s. With a limited budget and fierce competition, the agency needed to earn attention at a scale that exceeded the budget.

Insights and Strategy
In 1982, Reese’s Pieces was featured as E.T.’s favourite candy in the blockbuster E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. M&M’s had famously turned down an offer to become E.T’s favourite candy, and within two weeks of the film’s release, Reese’s Pieces sales increased by 300%, transforming the brand into a mainstream favourite.

Today, Reese’s Pieces are still remembered as E.T.’s favourite candy. Fictional characters can influence purchase behaviour, so the agency wanted to take advantage of the brand’s association with the movie to launch the new edition of the classic candy. Its licensing deal had expired long ago, however, meaning no mention of E.T. was allowed. So rather than rebuild its connection to the film, it decided to simply take advantage of it.

Execution
The Extra-Terrestrial Sampling Program was born. The mission? Offer E.T. a free sample of Reese’s Pieces Peanut.

On January 26, 2019, Reese’s launched a traditional in-store display into outer space, partnering with an aerospace firm to design a custom high-altitude balloon rig that carried a fully stocked display skywards, where E.T. could help himself to a sample. Entertainment Tonight (known as ET) filmed a feature segment onsite.

The agency amplified the launch on Facebook and Instagram nationally. Fans swarmed the post, sharing E.T. GIFs connecting the launch to the film. It mailed real unclaimed samples to consumers’ homes, and sent bags to E.T. cast members Drew Barrymore and Henry Thomas.

Results
The campaign dramatically exceeded sales targets, delivering a lift of 282% in sales during the campaign (more than $1.1 million over target). This closely resembled the sales results of 1982, when Reese's Pieces experienced a 300% lift after the film’s release. It also led to a 5.9 point increase in brand awareness, and drove 1.8% trial with 20% repeat purchase. The campaign earned 96 million impressions from 147 unique stories.

Credits

Agency: Anomaly
Agency Network: MDC Partners
Holding Company: MDC Partners
Executive Creative Director: Pete Breton
Executive Creative Director: Dave Douglass
CEO: Franke Rodriguez
Creative Director: Jamie Marcovitch
Associate Creative Director/Writer: Marko Pandza
Associate Creative Director/Art Director: Jason Kerr
Art Director: Jose Rivas
President/Managing Partner: Candace Borland
Head of Client Services: Bryden McDonald
Business Director: Erin Wilbur
Account Executive: Alexandra McCalden
Account Coordinator: Lauren Zaitz
Group Planning Director: Mahmoud El Kattan
Planner: Colin Kikcio
Head of Production: Janice Bisson
Agency Producer: Erin Reynolds
Social Media Strategist: Stefanie Jesney
Designer: Pawel Rokicki
Designer: Lucas Young

Client: Hershey Canada
Senior Marketing Manager: Mathieu Gamache
Senior Director of Marketing: Jackson Hitchon
Senior Marketing Manager: Kaetlyn Graham
Associate Marketing Manager: Andie Doan

Photographer: Petter Evju Skanke
Cinematographer: Petter Evju Skanke
Editing Company: Unreasonable Studios
Editor: Maria Cusumano
Post Production Company: Unreasonable Studios

PR Agency: Media Profile
Media Agency: UM

Aerospace Engineering Technologies Firm: Night Crew Labs
President & CEO: Bryan Chan
Chief Scientist, Software Developer: Ashish Goel
Chief Engineer: Tyler Reid
Chief Designer: Corey Snyder
Chief Test Officer: Paul Tarantino