Even AI Isn't Itself When It's Hungry, Snickers Says

Who needs IT when you've got candy bars?

You ask AI if you can credibly rock a scorpion tattoo. The tech says to slap that tat right across your face.

Hm, seems like that bot isn’t quite itself today. And if advertising has taught us anything, it’s that Snickers can bring famished folks entities back to themselves.

Can a digital treat brimming with virtual peanuts, chocolate and caramel soothe fussy machine intelligence?

Let’s watch BBDO’s cute variation on its famous “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” ad series and find out:

Dude, go for it anyway. That would be a sweet sting in the tale.

Next, AI assures a runner that no marathon training is necessary, as “the human body is capable of amazing things.”

Sounds good, but there might be a downside…

“Snickers has long been the remedy for out-of-character moments,” says Ashley Gill, brand & content VP at the brand’s parent, Mars Snacking. “As generative AI becomes part of everyday life, we’re playfully reinventing the way Snickers connects with our fans in today’s culture.”

“Whether it’s a person losing their cool or an AI chatbot consistently agreeing with you, the truth hasn’t changed. When you’re not acting like yourself, we believe you maybe just need a Snickers.”

Good Behavior director Pete Marquis rocks an underrated vibe. The approach feels true to the campaign’s famous flavor while adding a relatable contemporary spin.

“This campaign pokes fun at our budding reliance on AI, but the project itself renewed my faith in the people behind the work,” Marquis tells Muse. “It was one of those jobs where nature tried to mess with us at every turn. Sudden winds blew over equipment. An old fan blew up and caught fire. Stuff like that was constantly threatening to derail the day.”

In fact, to pull off the Tattoo spot, the team leaned into good-old human ingenuity.

“Our main character was supposed to be noticing a ‘cool-looking tatted guy’ on a street corner in a sleeveless shirt,” Marquis recalls. “But the morning we were supposed to film, there was heavy rain. It’s hard to look cool and show off your sweet tats under pouring rain. So, we changed the main character to be a ride-share driver and re-blocked it on the fly.”

“It was moments like that one, where having a super smart creative team, an awesome client and amazing actors who make everything funny no matter what’s thrown at you really helps. As long as no one’s hungry.”

The work began rolling out this week. Interactive elements on Reddit and Snapchat let users unlock free Snickers through DoorDash while supplies last.

Related: Trapped Mountain Climbers Turn to Snickers