2024 Lifetime Achievement Award

Snickers Bars Are Secretly Replaced by Bounty Bars in Sickest 'You're Not You' Stunt Yet

Nuttiness without any actual nuts

You’re not you when you’re hungry. Snickers factory workers are no exception to that. To prove it, the brand conducted a nasty switcharoo in France—a product release where select bars weren’t Snickers at all … but Bounty bars in disguise! 

It’s a triggering choice, reminiscent of that one lady who dressed Brussels sprouts like Ferrero Rocher chocolates. So many people hate Bounty for no good reason. In fact, Bounty—the U.S. equivalent is Mounds—is the most controversial chocolate bar, alongside Snickers, actually.

People got upset. 

Managed with finesse by French agency CLM BBDO, so-called #Snickersgate lasted 24 hours before the brand broke the punchline: “We’re not us when we’re hungry!” Good on them for resisting the panic button as complaints mounted. 

It’s been 10 years since Snickers started using the “You’re not you when you’re hungry” tagline, and its staying power sits on the brand’s consistent capacity to evolve with time. In 2015, it pulled a similar switcharoo with gamers on streaming site Twitch—three popular streamers were replaced by totally different people … until they chomped down on a Snickers, of course. 

Lastly, Snickers hastens to add that “the allergens are the same for these two products; the brand has not exposed its customers to any risks.” Tell that to somebody who hates coconut. 

CREDITS

Client: Snickers
Agency: CLM BBDO
Benjamin Dessagne: Creative Director
Stéphane Santana: Creative Director
Julien Lemoine: Vice President
Théophile Robaglia: Artistic Director
Joseph Rozier: Copywriter
Judith Romero: Sales Director
Meigge Sauvaget: Customer Director
Lisa Perrot: Advertising Manager
Fabio Iazzetta: Head Of Social Media
Youcef Boualem: Social Media Consultant
Isabelle Darroman: Head Of Tv Production
Pierre Boudin: Producer
Philippe Bienaimé: Video Editor
Laurianne Freguin: Post-Producer
Marion Weill-Collange: Communication & Influence Manager
Fanny Sachot: Communication & Influence Consultant
Big Production: Production
Christophe Deroo: Director – Chief Operator
Nazha Dhamani: Production Director
Marc Fuentes: Production Director
Nizar El Tayeb: Producer
Schmooze: Sound
Back-Up: Calibration

Clio Health First Deadline