Aye Carumba! Butterfinger partners with The Simpsons again to celebrate 100 years

10-Jun-2024 - Last updated on 10-Jun-2024 at 14:13 GMT

Source: Butterfinger

Related tags Ferrero Candy bar Confectionery Ferrero brands

The iconic chocolate brand Butterfinger is celebrating its centennial by reviving its partnership with The Simpsons, as it finds new ways to tap into pop culture through video gaming and seasonal products to stay relevant among consumers of all ages, VP of Marketing for Ferrero Neal Finkler told FoodNavigator-USA.

Last month, Butterfinger released limited-time packaging with The Simpsons characters for its regular-size candy bar, two-piece share pack and fun-size laydown bag at retailers nationwide.

Additionally, the brand is hosting a birthday sweepstakes where consumers have a chance to win The Simpsons-branded merchandise.

The new packaging is a callback to Butterfinger’s initial advertisement partnership with the popular animated television show, Finkler said.

“When you look back to the ’90’s when the Butterfinger [and] Simpsons partnership really kicked off, [it] was such an iconic campaign and such an iconic partnership that these two brands are intertwined. And even if you talk to consumers today and you talk to them about Butterfinger ... they always talk about The Simpsons. For us, as we were gearing up to celebrate the 100 years, we thought what better way to celebrate this huge milestone than to celebrate with The Simpsons again,” he added.

Butterfinger stays relevant by finding ‘key connection points with pop culture’

Butterfinger is staying relevant among young consumers by partnering with pop culture institutions, especially within the video gaming community, Finkler explained.

For the last several years, the brand’s Game Better With Butterfinger program featured special branded promotions with popular video games like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Overwatch 2 and PUBG. Last year, the brand also partnered with Spirit Halloween to become the seasonal retailer’s official candy bar, he said.

“We are always just looking to see what are those really key connection points with pop culture that are passion points for our consumer and how do we create really fun, unique [and] ownable activations in those spaces," Finkler said.

He added, “If you look at where we are investing, it is social media, both on the paid and organic side. It is on YouTube and Twitch, especially with the gaming community. It is investing with content creators and influencers. So, really investing in that digital space across all of our key consumer touchpoints is absolutely critical for the brand, especially as we are aging down.”

‘Partnering with our retailers is critical for the brand’

Butterfinger is leveraging its retail partners to release special limited-edition products, providing another way to stay relevant with the consumers, Finkler said. “Partnering with our retailers is critical for the brand,” he emphasized.

Earlier this year, Butterfinger partnered with convenience-store chain Circle K on a portfolio of limited-time offerings, including a Butterfinger brownie, cookie and hot chocolate. By offering Butterfinger products in different categories, the brand was able to have a “full 360 takeover with the partner,” he said.

“As we bring Butterfinger into these new formats, people get really excited. It is this product that they know and that they love, and it is a new way to enjoy it. And both in the ice cream space and the bakery space, we are seeing a tremendous amount of opportunity,” Finkler said.