Yep, you read the title correctly. The digital marketing tactic which really caught my eye today comes from legendary sweets (candy) brand “Starburst” and involves beaming TikToks into space, asking the higher beings “How do they make Starburst so juicy?”
We all know Gen-Z is potentially one of the most valuable cohorts right now, and one of the most digitally accessible – but it’s also one of the hardest to generate engagement with as multiple brands fight-it-out over ever-decreasing attention spans and across increasingly noisy platforms. (The Metaverse (when it is established) is set to be a marketing dogfight, but that will all come out in the wash I’m sure!)
However, research also shows that Gen-Z are also the most interested in Space – with 63% (versus the U.S. average of 49%).
Marrying these two points together, Starburst decided to launch their new “Ask the Universe” campaign, seeking to engage with a Gen-Z audience on TikTok (developed in partnership with agency DDB), where from 6-14th October, TikTok users can create a video that asks “How do they make Starburst taste so juicy?”.
Provided the TikTok features the #BeamItUpStarburst hashtag, the user has a chance for the video to be beamed into space! Video creators can track where their video is traveling in space in real time via a microsite. The most popular TikToks I’ve seen so far feature the dedicated “Beam Me Into Space – Starburst” ‘sound’ too.
The Mars Wrigley brand claims its partnership with “SpaceSpeak” (who will do the actual beaming-into-space bit) will make it the first brand to beam TikToks into space — a novel way to drive participation in the hashtag challenge. Cool, huh?
They’ve also leveraged the power of influencer marketing, but roping in astrophysicist — and influencer Kirsten Banks (@astrokirsten), who will use her platform to amplify news of the challenge and share tips on creating “beam-worthy” content – a smart move seeing as teaming with a creator is one of the most efficient ways for brands to cut-through the noise and activate on platforms like TikTok (Starburst have form of success on TikTok).
According to HypeBeast: “Starburst will beaming the most ingenious TikToks millions of miles into space to confirm with higher intelligence how they get their chews so juicy.
These intergalactic messages will be beamed into space using SpaceSpeak’s one-of-a-kind technology, which emits radio waves through a low wattage 2-5 GHz transmitter attached to an 18-inch parabolic dish. This technology will share the message with higher intelligence, so we can become closer in our pursuit to discovering what makes STARBURST so mouth-watering and juicy. The photons that make up each unique video will then continue to traverse the galaxy for years to come, and users can even follow along as their TikTok navigates through the solar system by visiting starburst.com/asktheuniverse beginning September 6th.”
According to Marketing Dive: “The space-focused campaign comes as other brands look to tap into hype around space exploration driven by companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin. While Starburst is beaming TikToks into space, brands including Miller, 7-Eleven and Ben & Jerry’s have launched physical objects into the atmosphere. In addition, the first limited-edition experimental flavor released as part of the Coca-Cola Creations initiative was a “space-flavored” cola.”
Whether you’ve got a sweet tooth or not (and whether the campaign gets more Gen-Zedders chewing on Starburst), I think we can all agree this level of digital creativity is what we need more of as the boundaries get pushed (both figuratively and literally). How can you push the boundaries of your brand’s advertising? Let me know some of your most out-of-this-world ideas in the comments!
To infinity, and beyond!