Australia’s biggest selling chocolate bar had slipped to 5th in the category’s “favourite brand” ratings. Mars had to increase its favourability amongst 16-44s and get it back into the top three. In addition, Mars Fun Size bags were losing share to private label competitors due to lack of differentiation. With no additional budget to address this, the campaign had to have a rub-off effect on Fun Size sales and halt the decline.
The Australian chocolate category historically relies on innovation and promotions to excite consumers; Mars had neither. Mars loyalists revealed they chose Mars to transform their mood. Many chocolate brands “transformed moods”?but this was most relevant to a category leader, like Mars, as people seeking to transform their mood turn to those they know and trust to deliver every time. This insight paralleled the role that their favourite comedians played in their life, particularly those who parodied real life events. However, simply placing our existing ad within mood changing comedy would be far too subtle an association. Mars needed to be central to this mood changing moment.
Sponsorship of the AFL (Australian Football League) had historically been used by the category to make their brands loved - many Australians become loyal to their club sponsors. The Mars strategy was to create a parody of the traditional sponsorship approach by harnessing the ultimate mood changing character, from the ultimate mood changing show.
Before The Game is a live comedy show with mass family appeal, all centred around Australia football. Aired before Saturday’s big game it transforms viewers from lazy weekend slump to pre-game excitement - a perfect fit for Mars. The controversial solution to harness this moment was to sponsor Strauchanie the show’s spoof professional footballer. Strauchanie was a character guaranteed to transform moods and put a smile on the viewer’s face. A character so ludicrous he could get away with the amount of blatant in-programme branding needed for Mars to steal the show.
Throughout the series, Strauchanie appeared at Collingwood Football Club (the AFL’s largest team) with tales of his personal sponsorship by Mars, "proving his greatness!" He placed Mars bars everywhere and talked up the brand so much it was comical. The weekly segments featured his interaction with football’s top players and his guest appearance in the AFL Legends game, complete with Mars branded boots - which made national TV & radio news. During the live game Strauchanie was wired to a microphone and commentated from within the game. He even pulled a Mars Bar from his sock to celebrate his goal, telling the live audience, “I have to support my sponsors!”
Extended footage was delivered via the Channel Ten website and the clips quickly became YouTube favourites.
Mars achieved its goal by becoming the third most favourite brand (as measured by TNS). Supermarket orders increased by 30% and Mars Fun Size sales went up 17% (halting a long term decline). The campaign won a Gold Lion at Cannes.
