Whether you ‘can say no to Mentos’ or not depends on your taste buds and if your local paanwadi is selling it. But you can’t say no to their innovative ad campaigns that have captured the public imagination for long. But of late, the chewy candy ads aren’t sticky. Mentos’ new campaign ‘Yes To Fresh’ follows the most mundane scripts of all. The commercial celebrates the fun transformation of boring moments into extraordinary experiences, with the freshness of Mentos flavours.
Mentos, from the house of Perfetti Van Melle India, roped in Abhay Verma, the breakthrough leading man of Munjya.
The casting was perfect, he’s the cute frontbencher, but the idea has been done to death. Every candy or soft drink brand has some version of ‘eat this for adventure/fun’.
In a 2007 campaign, Alpenliebe showed how a crocodile followed Kajol everywhere after she gave it the candy once. Then there are the 2009 Mirinda commercials featuring Asin—a sip of the drink unlocks a more outgoing personality. And, the iconic ‘Jo Khaaye, Kho Jaaye’ campaign from Cadbury 5 Star. The sibling duo of Ramesh and Suresh get lost in the taste of the chocolate bar and enter into a short-lived amnesia.
And the list goes on.
Mentos’ latest offering pales in comparison.
The film opens in a biology class—an Einstein-looking professor is droning on, students are yawning. Verma, the protagonist, opens up a pack of Mentos and pops one into his mouth. Instantly, a wave of refreshment washes over the boredom. It is symbolised by upbeat Konkani music, a burst of colours and a party-like atmosphere.
Despite all the fun Ogilvy West intended to showcase, the commercial is bland and devoid of any storytelling. And the most important part of an engaging commercial—humour—is missing.
Hence, the lukewarm response. Posted nine days ago on YouTube, the 30-second clip has just over two thousand views.
Brands must understand that collaborating with an upcoming actor doesn’t create hype if there is a dearth of creativity.
It’s especially odd because this is the same brand and the same agency that gave us the iconic ‘evolution’ commercial and the ‘Dimaag ki batti jala de’ (Light up your brain) campaign.
‘Dimaag ki batti jala de’
For the 90s kids, Mentos means nostalgia. A simple mint became a memorable brand through creative marketing.
And, its ‘Dimaag ki batti jala de’ campaign is at the centre of it all.
These ads, introduced in the early 2000s, were clever and creative.
One of the most popular commercials shows an ape being exploited by a donkey. When the ape finds a Mentos, he offers it to the donkey, who rejects it. The candy triggers evolution. When the monkey, now a man, returns, he flips the roles—making the donkey do the work.
This commercial is a masterclass of effective brand communication. First, it is 52 seconds long.
It uses humour and a striking visual transformation to convey the brand’s message of sparking creativity. The ad cleverly blends absurdity with relatability, leaving a memorable impact, while solidifying Mentos’ fun and dynamic brand personality.
Another commercial shows a student who, after eating Mentos, outsmarts his teacher by finding a loophole when asked to solve a math problem. This quirky humour and the catchphrase resonated with Indian audiences. It made Mentos synonymous with quick thinking and wit.
Also read: Metro Shoes new ad on ‘modern masculinity’ is uninspired, dated. Others did it better
Lost their touch?
Over the past decade, Mentos ads seem to have lost their charm. Recent commercials lack the smart, plot-driven approach that once set the brand apart.
For example, the 2017 campaign “Mentos Zindagi” attempted to portray Mentos as a symbol of positivity. While the ads are pleasant, they lack clever storytelling and punchlines with a recall value—something that made previous Mentos ads iconic.
It’s almost like they’re evolving backwards. Clearly, someone on the team needs to eat a Mentos and light up their dimaag.
Brand: Mentos
Agency: Ogilvy West
Actor: Abhay Verma
Views are personal.