Mars Wrigley has launched its new European-wide campaign for Snickers ahead of the Euros this summer, with footballers Bukayo Saka and Luka Modrić taking centre stage.
The 20-second TV ad for Snickers Own Goal is set in a barbershop where a fan leaps up from his chair to celebrate a goal on TV and ends up with a botched haircut.
The barbershop’s newest recruits, Modrić and Saka, then pass the fan a Snickers bar as a solution to his self-inflicted mistake, before the campaign tagline – ‘Own goal? Maybe you just need a Snickers‘ – fills the screen.
Both footballers will also be appearing across out-of-home, digital, social media, PR and in-store marketing, where they will rate fans football-related mistakes from one to 10 and encourage the nation to join in.
Luka Modrić commented: “I´ve really enjoyed working with Snickers. It´s been fun to rate some of the funniest football mistakes – mistakes happen and anybody can score an own goal, sometimes you just need some help to get back on your game.”
Subscribe to Marketing Beat for free
Sign up here to get the latest news sent straight to your inbox each morning
Bukayo Saka added: “We’ve all had embarrassing ‘own goals’ off the pitch, and football is nothing without our supporters, but getting your haircut during your team’s game is a solid 10 on the scale.”
Own Goal builds on a previous campaign created in conjunction with the National Football League (NFL) called ‘Rookie Mistakes’, tailored to be relevant to football fans in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, ahead of the Euros this summer.
Snickers regional brand director Greg Kent hopes the new campaign will position Snickers as “the snack to have while supporting” and help build “long-term momentum and credibility for the brand ahead of a big summer of football”.
He said: “We’re celebrating that sense of global community in football and authentically positioning the brand at the centre of the conversation”.
“Capitalising on key cultural moments and global talent, this campaign will resonate with all football fans and live beyond 2024 to achieve longevity for Snickers and its association with the sport.”
