As part of Peeps’ 60th anniversary, the candy company is inviting people to play a role in its first TV ad in more than 10 years.
The TV commercial features a brown-haired boy teaching his chubby-cheeked younger brother all the wacky things he can do with Peeps.
“You can eat ‘em, smash ‘em, microwave ‘em, deep fry ‘em, chop ‘em into little pieces, roast ‘em on a stick,” he raves about the marshmallow treat without pausing for a breath.
Mark Hoffman, the senior brand manager for Peeps, said in a press release he hopes this commercial will encourage consumers to “express their Peepsonality.”
Lisa Duke Cornell, a UF advertising associate professor, said Peeps’ user-generated content competitions are a creative marketing tool.
She said user-generated content competitions reduce production costs and brain power.
“They do not have to spend on the commercial because the production cost is covered from the competition,” Cornell said.
However, she said Peeps’ rebranding campaign might face a stumbling block because society is becoming increasingly health-conscious.
“Sugar consumption is a problem in the U.S.,” Cornell said. “You’ll have a problem in today’s environment when you have a product that is 100 percent sugar.”
But Claudia Lorenzo doesn’t mind chowing down on the sugary yellow chicks.
“I feel like Peeps are a cultural staple and part of American tradition,” the 19-year-old UF digital arts and sciences freshman said. “It’s necessary for a company to rebrand itself so that it’s fresh to consumers.”
To celebrate Peeps’ 60th anniversary, the company will be running its first TV ad in more than 10 years. The rebranding campaign may encounter issues because of society’s focus on health, a UF expert said.
