LONDON, UK — PopCorners, the air-popped corn snack, is targeting global audiences with a new brand platform to introduce snackers around the world to a “Familiar, But Different” experience.
This is the first global brand campaign from the PepsiCo-owned snack and was created in partnership with VCCP. Whilst PopCorners was established in the US and launched a memorable Superbowl spot last year, this new campaign introduces consumers in Australia, Brazil, Mexico, and more, to the popped corn chips.
The new brand platform targets Millennial and Gen Z audiences who, while desperate to try new things, also crave comfort and reliability. “Familiar, But Different” positions PopCorners as something adventurous while not completely unknown – a magic unicorn of snacks.
The campaign was built as a series of six-second social-first assets, that will be served sequentially to create multiple moments for the brand to tell the familiar but different story. The unexpected AV films sees a couple on a sofa tasting PopCorners and being transformed with each bite changing something about & around them – Familiar, But Different each time – shrinking, floating in space or suddenly growing a beard. It was crafted by internationally renowned, award-winning director Henry Littlechild from Darling who is well known for his humourous approach to ads for clients, including BMW and Doritos. Henry and Darling worked with VCCP’s global content creation studio Girl&Bear to bring the campaign to life.
Founded in New York in 2010, PopCorners has become known for its unique fusion of popcorn with the texture of a chip, creating an air-popped snack that offers a lighter, healthier alternative to traditional chips. While being never fried, the brand is intentionally making its “better-for-you” more accessible to a broader mainstream audience.
Atif Sultan, Global Brand Director at PopCorners, said: “PopCorners is truly a challenger within the category, a one-of-a-kind snack that stands in a space all its own. It was essential to pair it with a creative idea that builds a distinctive world, giving PopCorners a position that not only highlights its uniqueness but also its comforting familiarity.”
Mark Orbine, Executive Creative Director at VCCP, added: ”Popcorners are a combination of popcorn and crisp. They are a familiar snack, but are also totally different. We needed an idea that brought this to life and that would capture people’s attention and imagination. The campaign is a true celebration of the wonderful snack, showing its uniqueness and telling its familiar but different story in a disruptive way.“
The campaign will run during 2024 and throughout 2025 across social media, print, influencer channels, OOH, DOOH, and sampling across multiple markets starting in Australia, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, and the Netherlands.
Credits:
CAMPAIGN TITLE: Familiar, But Different
CLIENT: PopCorners
ADVERTISING AGENCY: VCCP
EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Mark Orbine
COPYWRITER AND ART DIRECTOR: Stephen Misir
BUSINESS DIRECTOR: Olivia Packshaw
ACCOUNT DIRECTOR: Amirah Hajat
HEAD OF PLANNING: Ross Cameron
PLANNING DIRECTOR: Rebecca Pinn
JUNIOR PLANNER: Percy Fagent
AGENCY TV PRODUCER: Maddy Holmes
INTEGRATED PROJECT DIRECTOR: Brad Willis
AGENCY CREATIVE PRODUCER: Rebecca Hunnybun
PRODUCTION COMPANY: Darling Films
DIRECTOR: Henry Littlechild
FIRST AD: James Sharpe
DOP: Theodore Garland
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Clare Timms
PRODUCER: Garfield Kempton
SERVICE COMPANY: Karma Films
KARMA LINE PRODUCER: Sena Tonguc
EDITORS: Whitehouse Post
EDITOR: Adam Rudd
POST & AUDIO PRODUCTION COMPANY: No 8
VFX Supervisor: Tito Fernandes
POST PRODUCER: Callum O’Brien
COLOURIST: Matt Turner
SOUND ENGINEER: James Benn
PHOTOGRAPHER: Melis Kayacik
SENIOR DESIGNER: Bruno Rovarotto
DESIGNER: Tegan Barnes
SENIOR 3D DESIGNER: Olivier Beaugrand
ARTWORKER: Kayleigh Moore
