S’mores’ gooey goodness can (and should) be enjoyed long after the summer and campfires have gone.
At least that’s what Mondelez International, Hershey Co. and Kraft Heinz Co. are hoping to convince you of with a new marketing campaign aimed at extending the season for the treat.
According to AdvertisingAge, the three rival food companies have pooled their resources in an effort to push s’mores and boost sales for Hershey’s chocolate, Kraft Heinz’s Jet-Puffed marshmallows and Mondelez’s Honey Maid graham crackers.
A video ad starring a group of super cute kids from Brooklyn who go camping for the first time and enjoy their first s’mores together in Brooklyn’s Fort Greene Park is sure to make you smile (and your mouth water). Instead of a campfire, the s’mores are made on a grill, but the kids don’t seem to mind.
AdAge said the competing food companies joined in 2007 to push the timeless treat in retail stores, but the digital campaign is new.
The goal is to extend the summer s’mores season, which tends to taper off as summer begins fading to fall and thoughts turn to heading back to school, said Stacie Stauffer, a senior brand manager at Hershey. Although the kids are first-time s’mores eaters, the strategy is to drive repeat consumption by all s’mores fans. Or as Ms. Stauffer said, “How do we get those people who make that first set of s’mores to make that second set of s’mores?”
On a typical summer day, about 110,000 pounds of Hershey’s bars are used to make s’mores.
As part of the advertising campaign, s’mores kits will be sent to 100 people, selected at random, who share the s’mores video on social media and tag it with #ShareSmore and #PickMe. Fans of the sticky treat are also asked to share their first s’mores experience.
If you’re looking for a reason to enjoy a s’mores – though really, do you need a reason? – mark your calendar for National S’mores Day on Aug. 10.
I love s’mores. Growing up, they were one of the best parts of our family camping trips.
When did you have your first s’mores? Are they strictly a summer treat for you? Share your comments below or on our Facebook page.
This article was originally published on MoneyTalksNews.com as 'Rival Food Companies Unite to Promote a Classic Summer Treat'.