Smarties
How can you bring Smarties' brand proposition, 'unbox imagination',
to life over the Christmas period?
With an open brief like that, anything is possible.
Like a nationwide call for Rudolph's red nose replacement in order to save Christmas.
Or something.
BREAKING NEWS. Rudolph has lost his red nose just weeks before Christmas and needs the nation’s help to find a new one.
That's where my brain took me after studying a Smarties tube long enough to notice the impeccable placement of the 'M' and the red Smartie below it.
Let's add a new layer of magic to the season by giving children across the UK the chance to 'save Christmas' by offering up a replacement red nose, in the form of a Smartie, to Santa and Rudolph.
Packaging redesign
Social film
We open on a young girl sat in front of the TV. She is absent-mindedly shaking a tube of Smarties, examining each one and popping them into her mouth.
Super on TV:
BREAKING NEWS: Rudolph loses nose ahead of what is set to be Santa’s busiest Christmas yet.
Presenter: We have just been informed that Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer is no longer, as reports reveal that he has lost his red nose just weeks before the big day.
There is a gasp from someone off camera.
Person off camera [shouting]: How will Santa ride through the night without the guiding light of his nose?
Presenter: Yes, yes. That is a worry. We’re not quite sure at this stage, but we’ll keep you updated.
We cut back to the little girl. Her eyes are wide. As she shakes the last Smartie out of the tube, she extends her arm forward to study it. It’s red. She holds it up to the image of Rudolph on TV, creating a perfect nose. She squints, looking at the Smartie and back at the TV.
Her eyes widen once more as she jumps down from the sofa, Smartie in hand, and rushes to the drawer to grab a pen and paper.
We hear her voiceover as she writes.
Dear Santa, I’m sorry to hear about Rudolph's nose. I hope someone finds it soon. In the mean time…will this one do? Love, Jessica.
She folds it, puts it inside an envelope and then looks at the red Smartie one last time before popping it inside.
We cut to a shot of her posting it through a letterbox.
Brand activation
As the Smarties shape resembles that of a postbox, we'll create life-size tubes that live outside flagship supermarket stores. Here, customers will be encouraged via signage and social media to post their red Smartie to Santa via the letter writing stand next to it.
Those who can't get to a real life Smarties postbox can 'post' a picture of theirs on socials instead, ensuring no one gets left behind.
As a big thank you for their help, 5 lucky entrants will be picked from the draw to win a family holiday to Lapland to hang out with the real reindeers.