For its first Super Bowl ad, the Nerds are appealing to Gen Z

For the first time, Nerds and its parent company, Ferrara, are going to the Super Bowl. And they’re bringing Addison Rae with them.

The candy company’s 30-second spot released Tuesday shows a gummy candy being made Flash Dance-Esk walks in before bathing in Nerds and making Nerds Gummy Clusters. A teaser released last month revealed that creator Addison Rae, who makes a brief appearance at the end of the ad, has served as a coach for the Dancing Candy character.

Joey Rath, marketing director for Nerds Candy in Ferrara, told us that the decision to attend the Super Bowl (and work with Addison Rae, who has nearly 89 million TikTok followers) was based on the brand’s interest in connecting with Gen Z. That’s the demographic that has given Gummy Clusters a lot of online attention — and, apparently, sales — since the product was released in 2020.

According to Rath, Gummy Clusters have become the No. 1 selling candy with “only 15% household reach”, meaning the Super Bowl provides an opportunity to bring awareness to the remaining 85% through animated song and dance.

there’s a lot to chew on

Preparation for this year’s game began last February when the team began developing creative concepts to convey its brand positioning to its target audience — “the attention of as many people as possible,” Rath said, and Especially Gen Zers.

“Those are the demographic segments that have really propelled the brand to category-leading position,” he said. “We wanted to make sure our creativity was in line with theirs.”

According to Rath, Gen Z can’t be targeted without social media and the brand has cross-platform plans for Game Day. The Nerds accounts will post content that’s been planned in advance, he said, and the team will be ready to respond to online conversations as they arise.

In the lead-up to the game, the Nerds also incorporated real-world promotional elements, including retail displays that began appearing in stores in early October touting the Nerds as “a sweet snack to eat on game day”. Rath said. During Wild Card Weekend last month, the brand partnered with Dallas Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence to further promote the Gummy Clusters ahead of the Super Bowl.

Sweet on Gen Z

The Nerds opted to tease the spot before the game and ask fans what they thought Addison was doing at training in hopes of “getting Nerds fans talking,” Rath said.

Rath said, “(We) thought it would be a fun way to have an expert teach an unknown person to prepare for their appearance in the commercial.”

The signing led to some high-profile reactions, including from TikToker @girlbosstown, who called Travis Kelce the “obvious choice” but theorized Tom Brady or Gronk as other possibilities. Upon guest revealing the high expectations, Rath said she was not worried about the teaser potentially being exaggerated or outshining the actual advertisement.

He added, “The teaser is a fun way to commemorate the big moment when our new Nerds Gummy hits the big stage.”

Addison’s involvement in the teaser was to help drive buzz, and his following will also be an important element as the brand activates online before and during the game, Rath said.

whether for Flash Dance While references in the broadcast advertisement will appeal to the Gen Z demographic more than their parents, Rath said she is confident in the film’s place in pop culture, and hopes that the song of nostalgia will “convey a reinvention of the nerds branding.” that you grew up with” and bringing it to life in a modern, new way.