US: Snickers uses star appeal to reach out to teens on-line

In an effort to appeal to teenagers, Masterfoods’ Snickers brand has created a series of comic-book style digital films featuring will.i.am and Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas and hip-hop artists Taboo and apl.de.ap.

The ‘digi-sodes’, called “Instant Def”, will be aired over the Internet beginning in early June. Four consecutive ‘webisodes’ will be launched at three-week intervals, with the final one available in mid-August.

According to Snickers, the four hip-hop musicians star as Snickers factory workers by day, defenders of old school hip hop by night. The foursome discover their superpowers when they come into direct contact with Snickers after an incident at the plant.

The idea was created by advertising agency BBDO New York in collaboration with Form TV’s Jesse Dylan and will.i.am, who also created the theme song and mixed music for all of the ‘sodes.’

“You know, this is fresh,” will.i.am said. “You mean I can make music, incorporate it into a film that’s on the Internet and wherever else we can get it played? Oh, that’s tomorrow all the way.”

Snickers expects the campaign to be a hit with the important teen audience. Jimmy Smith, executive creative director at BBDO New York and co-creator of the campaign, said: “This is definitely a story our audience will want to check out. We’re talking music, superheroes, comic book graphics … everything that’s pop, wrapped up in an instant.”