5 Gum asks Gen Z creators to envision ‘How It Feels to Chew’ for social

• 5 Gum is evolving one in every of its signature bits of selling by handing the creative keys off to Gen Z TikTokers, per details shared with Marketing Dive.
• The Mars Wrigley brand enlisted young creators to depict “How It Feels to Chew 5 Gum,” a tagline tied to its “Stimulate Your Senses” campaign. The 12-part content series includes shorts showing someone becoming a “human air conditioner” and a watermelon getting smashed so hard it shatters reality.
• The first three installments of the hassle, which was developed with agency Energy BBDO, are already live across TikTok, Meta and YouTube. 5 Gum is embracing a method of co-creation, a well-liked tactic for engaging social-first Gen Z audiences. 

5 Gum’s “Stimulate Your Senses” quickly made for iconic TV promoting following its debut in 2007. Like many CPG brands, the Mars Wrigley marketer is now reworking the concept to center on smartphones reasonably than front room screens while enlisting content creators to construct authenticity and community connection. 

“Stimulate Your Senses” since its inception has used over-the-top storytelling to illustrate the strong flavor of 5 Gum. The original slate of commercials features a spot where a person sitting in a futuristic vehicle is shot into an enormous dome covered in fans that represent the cooling sensation of 5 Gum’s peppermint flavor (“The Matrix” and other sci-fi movies of the era appear to be the important thing visual reference). 5 Gum’s maximalist, cinematic approach to marketing was memorable enough that the “How It Feels to Chew” phrase became a bigger web meme to comedically showcase feelings of euphoria and overstimulation. 

@5gum Blast. Off. #StimulateYourSenses ????: @Hornet ????: @Chelsea H ♬ original sound – 5Gum

The social-first update to the campaign takes the identical basic idea but strips out the 2000s edginess and adjusts the messaging for Gen Z’s quirky, online humorousness. In one video, “Saturn Rings,” a 3D animated character clutches an enormous ice pop because it zooms like a rocket into the orbit of the celestial body. In one other, a person takes the primary chew of a 5 Gum stick before an air conditioner forms in his mouth and cartoonishly hinges his jaw open. Marketing Dive has inquired as to whether any paid media support will factor into the hassle. 

“Seeing how fans have brought their humorous, vibrant perspectives to life over time has been nothing wanting inspiring,” said Maria Urista, vp of gum and mints at Mars, in an announcement. “With this campaign, we’ve taken their creativity and put it on a much bigger stage, turning their incredible ideas into content that’s as daring and refreshing as 5 Gum itself.” 

5 Gum has been ramping up its marketing targeted at Gen Z, with a give attention to social and music culture. In September, the brand partnered with pop group Katseye on a set of 5 products, including a room spray and limited-edition pressing of the “Beautiful Chaos” album, meant to embody each of the senses. Limited-time gum packs also featured members of the girl group Katseye.