Haribo Weigh In

Haribo Weigh In

4.2

Haribo’s ads fly under the industry radar a bit their “Kids Voices” campaign has become one of TV’s most enduring. Developed with Quiet Storm, the campaign has built a cult online following and scored several strongly effective ads on our TestYourAd system. It’s based around a very simple concept – adult actors dubbed with kids’ dialogue – in the case of this week’s ad, a boxing ring weigh-in (well timed for the recent much-hyped bout between Tyson Fury and Anthony Johnson).

The beauty of Haribo’s device lies partly in how well it marries brand and execution. Ask anyone below a certain age about the brand and you’re likely to get back their famous – and somewhat obnoxious –  jingle: “Kids and adults love it so, the happy world of Haribo”. The jingle itself no longer plays as much of a role in Haribo’s marketing, but the general concept of adults acting like kids has powered the “Kids Voices” campaign since 2014.

The other great thing about it is that it’s endlessly flexible. Haribo shows no signs of running out of adult situations which can be made funny by turning grown men and women into gummy-obsessed kids. Their most popular iteration is probably “Boardroom”, which is exactly what you’d imagine it is – a business meeting turned into a squabble over Haribo Starmix. The sweet in “Weigh In” is the fizzy Tangfastic variety but the comedy is exactly the same – subverting a grown-up activity in surreal fashion.

“Weigh In’s” Star Rating is good for the confectionery category but not spectacular – 4.2-Stars would be terrific in most contexts but sweets are the highest scoring sector overall, with a haul of 5-Star ads. But in a sector as competitive as this, standing out becomes even more important, and that’s where Haribo excel. Their short-term Spike Rating and Brand Fluency rating are both exceptional, despite the actual branding in the ad being fairly light.

What those excellent Spike and Fluency ratings tell us is that “Weigh-In” shows plenty of wear-in for the long-running campaign. Viewers are familiar enough with the Kids’ Voice concept that they recognise Haribo ads at once. The brand has carved out its own identity in a highly crowded category – testament once again to the power of Fluent Device scenarios and long-term thinking for a brand.

Creative agency credit: Quiet Storm