Mars-owned gums are embracing meme culture in a new campaign. The parent company to brands like Orbit and Extra mixed an ‘80s hit with some of Gen Z’s classic viral memes, hitting two kinds of nostalgia at once. For their latest global campaign, the brand reworks the lyrics of “Total Eclipse of the Heart” into “Total Overthink of The Head,” alluding to moments that young people overthink the most (i.e. getting left on read by their crush), with viral memes like the “Chill Guy” and the “this is fine” dog. While the campaign plays into meme culture, the reworked song lyrics also tap into rising consumer demand for conversations about anxiety and mental health. Like other brands rebooting their own Y2K campaigns and addressing Gen Z’s fear of being cringe, it’s a sign that brands can rework retro cues to meet young consumers where they are in their minds and online. (Marketing Dive)
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