Why Hershey’s first campaign in 8 years kicks off with an Olympics tie-in

Hershey’s today launched the brand’s first major creative effort in eight years, per details shared with Marketing Dive. The “It’s Your Happy Place” platform is launching ahead of the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina and can span creative, social and digital executions. To support what the marketer describes as an effort to reinvigorate its flagship brand, parent Hershey Company is increasing the brand’s marketing budget by 20%, in response to The Wall Street Journal.

The platform focuses on establishing happiness as Hershey’s core mission. The “Happiness Is The Real Gold” campaign, the first element under the broader platform, consists of ads and content featuring Olympic and Paralympic athletes, including Brenna Huckaby, Erin Jackson, Hilary Knight, Jason Brown and Jordan Stolz, sharing anecdotes about their pursuits of gold — and happiness — before being surprised by relations, who also share their stories about what they wished for the Olympic athletes in their lives. 

“Happiness is in the moments and experiences we share, not only the milestones we reach,” said Stacy Taffet, chief growth officer at The Hershey Company. “Hershey’s is fueling the brand’s momentum through what matters most: bringing people little prized moments of their very own gold.”

To that end, Hershey’s will release limited-edition chocolate medals wrapped in gold foil as a part of the campaign. The brand will dole out the medals for “on a regular basis moments of real gold” throughout the Olympics to each athletes and fans. The first 400 guests at Hershey’s Chocolate World on Feb. 7 will receive the medals, with a limited-time drop on Feb. 13 via The Hershey’s Store and TikTok Shop.

The effort seeks to reinvigorate the corporate’s flagship brand by celebrating happiness as a journey, not only a destination, explained Vinny Rinaldi, vp of media and marketing technology at The Hershey Company.

“It’s lots greater than only a campaign,” Rinaldi said. “It’s literally taking a brand and showing up in a totally different way, starting with the Olympics… What higher approach to create this moment around being blissful, but in a culturally relevant time period where you have got all the world coming together on the largest stage?”

Hershey’s has been a Team USA sponsor since 2015 and has previously engaged consumers across the Olympics. But while “It’s Your Happy Place” kicks off on the Olympics, the platform will proceed throughout a yr that also includes cultural moments around America’s 250th anniversary and the World Cup.

“[This platform launch is] such an opportunity to return to our roots, to return to our brand, to bring together moments, all back into one ecosystem,” Rinaldi said.

At the Olympics and beyond

After kicking off throughout the opening ceremonies, Hershey’s will show up throughout the three weeks of games in linear and digital channels, including organic content shared by athletes and plans in place to pop-up in real time. It focuses on digital‑first, video‑led storytelling, including via immersive formats like Snap AR Lenses and TikTok Branded Effects.

“When you have a look at this activation ecosystem, it goes a lot beyond what we’re launching in the opening ceremonies and our partnership with NBC, and it truly brings the platform, Team USA and five incredible athlete stories to life across all these different social touch points,” Rinaldi said.

Hershey’s partnered with The Martin Agency to relaunch the brand, from creative technique to execution, and the hassle utilizes MiltonOne, the bespoke Publicis Groupe solution for the corporate that’s powered by MSL for earned PR and Digitas for integrated media.

“The Opening Ceremony of the Olympics is the right place to launch a brand new brand platform for certainly one of America’s most storied brands. We’ve spent many years telling athletes that gold is every part. Win gold. Happiness follows. But this first brand work proves that it goes way deeper than that. It’s the journey, the memories and the individuals who got you there that represent your true Happy Place,” said Jerry Hoak, chief creative officer at The Martin Agency, in a press release.

The Hershey Company in its most up-to-date earnings results surpassed expectations, raising its full yr outlook for net sales. The company will release its fourth-quarter results on Feb. 5. The recent effort seeks to interact with U.S. consumers who remain under economic pressure in a world that’s difficult and fast-changing, Rinaldi said.

“We need to be a component of that [world], but just the comfort a part of it, and the helping a part of it, where you bring people together,” the manager said. “You allow people to point out their true selves through the comfort of our products.”