'You're Not You When You're Hungry' – The Snickers Campaign That Really Satisfied

Snickers 'You're Not You When You're Hungry' campaign was genius in its simplicity, truth telling and what it didn't say.

In 2010, Snickers launched a groundbreaking advertising campaign that would not only rejuvenate its brand but also embed itself into popular culture: "You're Not You When You're Hungry."

This campaign ingeniously connected three universal human experiences:

1. how hunger can alter one's behavior - with the promise that a Snickers bar could remedy this transformatio, and,
2. that it was a taboo topic to admit to being 'hangry', and,
3. that it was taboo to ask someone if they were or offer a solution to it.

Through humour, relatable scenarios and strategic celebrity endorsements, Snickers managed to significantly boost its global presence and increase global sales by 15.9% and grew market share in 56 of the 58 markets where it was implemented, all without altering its product in any way.

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Overview of the Campaign

The "You're Not You When You're Hungry" campaign debuted during Super Bowl XLIV in 2010 with a memorable commercial featuring Betty White.

In the ad, a group of friends plays a casual game of football, with one player, portrayed by White, performing poorly due to hunger. After consuming a Snickers bar, she transforms back into her younger self, ready to play effectively. This humorous portrayal of hunger-induced personality changes resonated with a wide audience, setting the tone for subsequent advertisements.

The campaign's success can be attributed to its universal insight: hunger affects everyone, often leading to irritability or uncharacteristic behavior. By addressing this common experience, Snickers positioned its product as the go-to solution for such moments. As stated in a Campaign case study, the platform was "built on a human truth with the ambition to drive fame for Snickers." 

Snickers executives emphasised the importance of this relatable message. In an interview, a Mars spokesperson noted, "The 'You're Not You When You're Hungry' campaign has been a game-changer for the brand, allowing us to connect with consumers on a personal level and remind them of Snickers' satisfying qualities."

The campaign's versatility allowed it to feature various celebrities and scenarios across different markets, maintaining a consistent message while catering to regional tastes. From actors like Joe Pesci and Robin Williams to international figures like Mr. Bean, the ads showcased a range of personalities transformed by hunger, only to be restored by a Snickers bar

An Impact on Sales Marketers Dream Of

Snickers knew it had a challenge to stand out. As an established brand, swimming in an ocean of competitors that featured some combination of chocolate, caramel and nuts, Snickers needed to give consumers a reason to buy the bar over all of its competitors.

The "You're Not You When You're Hungry" campaign had a profound impact on Snickers' sales and market position. In its first full year, the campaign increased global sales by 15.9% and grew market share in 56 of the 58 markets where it was implemented. 

Over a two-year period, the campaign contributed to an impressive $376 million (USD) increase in Snickers sales. This remarkable growth is particularly noteworthy considering that Snickers did not change its product during this time.

The surge in sales and market share was driven entirely by the strategic marketing efforts of the campaign. By tapping into a universal human experience and delivering a consistent, relatable message, Snickers successfully connected with consumers globally, revitalising its brand.

You Don't Need to Be Snickers to Have This Kind of Impact

The success of the "You're Not You When You're Hungry" campaign offers valuable lessons for brands beyond the confectionery industry. At its core, the campaign addressed a universal truth: hunger can lead to uncharacteristic behavior, a phenomenon often referred to as being "hangry." By highlighting this common experience, Snickers provided a solution that resonated with consumers on a personal level.

One of the campaign's strengths was its portrayal of someone else offering a Snickers bar to the affected individual. This approach served multiple purposes:

Relatability - It acknowledged that people often recognise changes in others' behavior due to hunger before noticing their own.

Social Solution - It empowered individuals to help friends or colleagues by offering a Snickers, providing a lighthearted way to address irritability without confrontation.

Acceptance Without Judgment - By framing the act of giving a Snickers as a caring gesture, it reduced potential embarrassment, allowing both parties to navigate the situation with humor and understanding.

What The Campaign Did and Didn't Focus On

Marketers and brands looking to have a similar impact with campaigns should remember well that success often lies in truly connecting what makes a brands product or service good with the real truths and goals of the consumer.

Universal Truths Win Because They are Universal - Aspects of human experience that are widely understood but underrepresented can be amplified and embraced by brands in their marketing to 'own' the topic and provide a solution.

Offer Genuine Solutions - Positioning your product or service as a credible remedy to the universal truth, ensuring the solution aligns with the core attributes of the product or service.

Encourage Social Interaction - Design and execute campaigns that look and feel real and involve believable social scenarios and social dynamics, enabling consumers to engage with each other in ways that reinforce the brand message.

A Judgment-Free Purchase - By approaching sensitive topics with humour and empathy, Snickers created a space where consumers felt comfortable acknowledging and addressing the issue. Snickers also gave people a guilt-free reason to buy a candy bar. Even if the bar someone bought was consumed for 'guilty-pleasure' reasons they could laugh it off to the cashier, or just themselves as a 'just in case... I don't want to get hangry later' excuse.

They Avoided The Obvious - Controlled, clever, creative that left all the obvious tropes on the table. A lesson marketers can take from the campaign is as much about what Snickers didn't talk about. They didn't talk about the peanuts, the chocolate, how the bars are made, the gooey caramel. Snickers also didn't lean into the angle of a chocolate bar being 'perfect for a treat' or 'when you want to reward yourself' - every chocolate bar could, and many do, say that.

The Final Word

The marketers at Mars had every opportunity to create campaign reminding the world they were a chocolate bar, made with great ingredients, that was a perfect snack or treat. They could have begged the pricing team to make Snickers bars cheaper, and run discount campaigns. The marketing team could have also asked them to create a new bar 'Snickers Plus! Now with 20% more crunchy nuts!', but they didn't any of those things.

Instead they took the price and product as it was, left all the obvious tropes on the table and said 'we can do something amazing', and in doing so positioned Snickers as a solution to a problem that everyone knows.

Feeling inspired yet? You can create campaigns like this. You don't need the dollars or to be a marketer for a global brand to do it either. What you do need is customer data and insights and a way to communicate and position your brand in a way that deeply resonated with a truth customers know to give them reasons to buy the product.

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Sources: Campaign Live, Adclubbu,