Vonn Fronts Reese's Wintry Summer Olympics Work & Hershey’s Launches Team USA ‘Hello From Home’

US candy Reese’s leverages interest in Rio 2016 by launching an inverted ‘Do Summer Like a Winter Olympian’ campaign led by its fist live action TV commercial in a decade.

The Hershey owned brand, an official sponsor of the US Olympic Team, is putting its own twist on activating around the 2016 Games by looking at the Summer Olympics through the eyes of Winter Olympic gold medallist Lindseyt Vonn.

The creative sees @lindseyvonn try her hand at various summer sports: including archery, dressage, fencing and rhythmic gymnastics.

The campaign was introduced at the end of June through a light-hearted 60-second TV spot based around Vonn trying (and failing) summer sports.

The spot, of course, was amplified across the brand’s social platforms – which form the main launch phase focus.

We weren’t considering a U.S. Winter Olympian to be our spokesperson for the Olympic Games, then Lindsey sent this.https://t.co/yN3qorrdS6

— REESE'S (@ReesesPBCups) June 29, 2016

In addition to running across Reece’s own channels, Vonn herself is also pushing the initiative on her personal social platforms – particularly Twitter.

We’re partnering with U.S. Olympic gold medalist @lindseyvonn. A skier in the summer? Yea, this is gonna be epic. pic.twitter.com/AHCBjDWSjH

— REESE'S (@ReesesPBCups) June 27, 2016

Two additional TV commercials are set to air in July as the campaign marks the first time in a decade that Reese’s is turning to live action in its Tv creative – as opposed to the animation that has dominated its previous creative approach.

During the Summer Games themselves, Vonn will offer her own humorous approach to commentary on certain Team USA focused competitions and she is also set to lead campaign polls and respond to fans on social media.

‘I couldn’t be more excited to partner with the Reese’s brand for their Rio 2016 Olympic Games campaign and to “go for i” like only a Winter Olympian can this summer,’ commented Vonn.

‘I’m a very serious athlete and will continue to train and pursue my Olympic Winter Games skiing goals, but this partnership gives me a chance to show off my humour and highlight a fun side that many people do not get to see on a regular basis.’

The campaign, which is being developed in harness with creative agency Arnold Worldwide, comes as the brand gears up for the launch of Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Cups.

As part of parent company Hershey’s recent US Olympic and Paralympic team sponsorship, the Reece’s campaign is just one product specific activation strand as Hershey rolls out a set of create scalable brand programs leveraging the rights across advertising, on packaging, in-store merchandising and other phases and platforms.

Indeed, a combined Arnold/Havas team is working on parent brand Hershey’s Team USA campaign for Rio 2016.

The Hershey’s work will revolve around its assembled team of big-name US Olympic brand ambassadors who include swimmers Michael Phelps and David Nolan (from Hershey’s hometown), plus soccer star Carli Lloyd, wrestler Jordan Burroughs, Paralympic swimmer Mallory Weggemann, gymnast Shannon Miller and the recently added US gymnast Simone Biles.

They will front the chocolate outfit’s first-ever Olympic Games campaign – which saw it change its silver letter packaging for the first time in 122 years.

.@Hersheys Bar celebrates Olympics by changing silver lettering for first time in 122 years via @PennLive https://t.co/m0XsnrRkN4

— The Hershey Company (@HersheyCompany) May 2, 2016

Indeed, Hershey’s showcases Biles in one of its latest online spots: promoted socially,

Simone Biles launches sweet campaign before Rio Olympics via @USATODAYsports https://t.co/JhGUA7jAal #HelloFromHome

— The Hershey Company (@HersheyCompany) June 27, 2016

and built around a two-minute ‘Hello From Home’ ad which sees the gymnast receive letters stuffed into Hershey’s chocolate bar wrappers.

Another recent spot in the same ‘Hello From Home’ series includes one fronted by Jordan Burroughs.

(Biles is also currently part of the current Kellogg‘s marketing campaign and appears in the fellow Team USA Olympic sponsor’s boxes of Corn Flakes and Special K with Red Berries.)

Comment

As yet the Reece’s campaign doesn’t appear to have picked up too much social traction.

The YouTube spot has only been viewed 5,500 times since it was first posted and its parallel tweet has notched up just 678 likes and 143 retweets.

But it is early yet and there is much more social content and fresh TV and other connected advertising activity planned in the lead-up to and during the Games.

Hershey, which according to Ad Age Datacentre dropped its 2015 ad spend 14% to $637m, is ramping up its investment for 2016 around the Olympic Games after signing a five-year partnership with the USA Olympic Committee in October last year.

The partnership sees the Hershey Company support the US Olympic and Paralympic teams through the Rio 2016, PyeongChang 2018 and Tokyo 2020 Games and sees the company take up the role as official sponsor and confectionery partner.

As part of the sponsorship, Hershey has started working with the USOC to develop unique programming that ties the passion and pride of Team USA with its own self styled iconic brand of American culture.

The partnership spans the Hershey corporate brand, plus several of its lead products such as Hershey’s, Reese’s, Hershey’s Kisses and Twizzlers, plus some of its newer additions olike Brookside Dark Chocolate and Krave Premium Jerky.

‘Hershey is truly one of America’s most iconic and beloved companies and we are incredibly proud and honoured to support Team USA and begin our journey with the United States Olympic Committee,’ said Mary-Ann Somers, Vice President, North American Confection, The Hershey Company at the time the deal was signed.

‘Both Hershey and Team USA share a unique, irreplaceable place in the hearts, lives and memories of many Americans; we want our country and athletes to know that Hershey is here to help bring moments of goodness and patriotic pride throughout the games and beyond.’

‘Partnering with Team USA is a perfect fit for a great American company like Hershey and our range of brands that have been a part of the lives of all Americans for generations,’ added David Palmer, Director, Partnership Marketing and Planning, The Hershey Company.

‘We are tirelessly working to integrate our company and brands into the Olympic spirit and support Team USA via athlete endorsements, unique consumer offers and compelling consumer activations.’

Links

Reese’s YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/Reeses

Reese’s Twitter:

https://twitter.com/ReesesPBCups

@ReesesPBCups

Reese’s Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/ReesesUK/?brand_redir=92982475411

Reese’s Web:

http://www.hersheys.com/reeses/

Lindsey Vonn Twitter:

@lindseyvonn