Wrigley’s Shows Off Its 5-Star Moves
Wrigley's Extra
Do what makes you ding
Capturing a sense of joy in a commercial is a lot harder than it sounds. Audiences are used to smiling, singing, and dancing – and while those things are enjoyable, the best ads have an X-Factor of surprise and distinctiveness that sets them apart in terms of emotional response.
Wrigley’s’ new ad understands that very well. It’s the first spot in a new Wrigley’s Extra campaign with Energy BBDO that asks us to “Do What Makes You Ding” – embrace the quirks, impulses and joys that make us individuals. We see a businessman standing in a lift, see him pop a Wrigley’s Extra, and then see him leaving the lift and break into a gleeful dance to Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe”.
The idea that the right treat can spark joy and bring out the inner you is something of a trope in FMCG advertising. Wrigley’s’ ad isn’t breaking new ground in terms of ideas – but a familiar scenario can make for an exceptional ad when you factor execution in. And executionally, “Do What Makes You Ding” gets everything right, landing a rare 5-Star score (5.4 to be exact) on the Test Your Ad platform.
What does the ad do so well? It doesn’t start with the joyful moment, but lets things build up, creating a sense of tension – something’s about to happen, but what? – which can then be converted into surprise and happiness when the guy jumps out of the lift and begins to dance.
The ad also delays the music until this mid-point, letting the tune come as a welcome surprise too. Carly Rae Jepsen is a great choice for the commercial – classic danceable pop but also recent enough that it doesn’t feel like a nostalgia move for the brand to be using it, so the audience won’t be limited by whether they remember the song.
Finally, Wrigley’s’ spot is a great showcase for humour in ads. As Orlando Wood explores in Look Out, the essence of humour often lies in incongruity and the inversion of expectations. The typical dancer to “Call Me Maybe” is a kid at a disco or partygoers at a wedding – it’s very much not a respectable businessman in his suit and tie. Yet here he is throwing shapes to the queen of Canadian pop.
“Do What Makes You Ding” takes a tried and tested idea and does it exceptionally well. It’s testament once again to the importance of execution in turning creativity into effectiveness.
