M&M's: APRIL FOOL'S PRANK

Credits & Description:

Category: Special Editions & Promotional Packaging
Advertiser: MARS FOOD
Product/Service: M&M'S
Agency: BBDO
Chief Creative Officer: Leong Wai Foong (BBDO)
Executive Creative Director: Ng Tian It (BBDO)
Creative Director: Oscar Liang (BBDO)
Creative Director: Xiao Kun (BBDO)
Creative Director: Kelvin Leong (BBDO)
Art Director: Louis Ang (BBDO)
Art Director: Heng Yee Sin (BBDO)
Copywriter: Kit Ong (BBDO)
Copywriter: Scarlett Yan (BBDO)
Designer: Li Fang Fang (BBDO)
Designer: Zhang Wei (Grass Studio)
Flim Director/Cameraman: Kenny Chai (Grass Studio)
Cameraman: Zhang Lu (Grass Studio)
Cameraman: Zhao Hao (Grass Studio)
Producer: Cai Jing (Grass Studio)
Producer: Zhang Jia Jia (Grass Studio)
Producer: Xi Miao (Beijing Lightbox)
Editor: Xu Haidong (Beijing Lightbox)
Editor: Liu Zhao (Beijing Lightbox)
Art Director: Xing Si Si (BBDO)
Media placement: Ambient Guerilla - Universities - 1 April, 2012
Describe the brief from the client
In a saturated snack category obsessed with non-stop novelty
(new flavours, new formats, new packaging, etc.), M&M’s is perceived as predicable and unexciting.
How do we prove that M&M’s is a snack that promises ‘Irresistible Fun’, beyond simply great taste?
Describe the challenges and key objectives
Our Chinese consumers live in a world of monotony and charcoal grey, lacking surprise; testament by the fact that while China ranks 2nd in terms of economy size, it ranks 125th in terms of happiness according to 2011 Forbes Gross National Happiness Index.
That is why China needs April Fool’s Day more than any other country in the world. We want teenagers have fun celebrating April Fool's Day.
Everyone knows M&M’s is fun and is the perfect brand to add colour and happiness. We want to own April Fool’s Day.
Describe how you arrived at the final design
So when the big day arrived, we were ready.
An irresistibly fun M&M’s prank in which we made a Russian Doll version of M&M’s pack. Inside each usual pack was another pack of M&M’s and inside was another M&M’s pack with a sticker with the message of 'Happy April Fool’s Day'.
We sold this specially packaged M&M’s made just for April 1st at selected university’s convenience shops.
A M&M’s prank that can be shared by all on April Fool's Day, a day designated for laughter.
Give some indication of how successful the outcome was in the market
- Those who were pranked quickly bought more M&M’s so they could prank their friends
- As a result, we sold an average of 170 packs more per outlet compared to normal days
- That was a very healthy 845% more sales
- At classified sites there was even one pack offered at RMB150
- The fool proof results: Letting teenagers have fun celebrating April Fool's Day