Starburst, the solid yet juicy candy, is a delicious contradiction. In 2010, we engaged the brand’s fans online by launching the Contradictionary, a social media platform that allowed fans to submit and vote for their favorite real world contradictions, from jumbo shrimp to boneless ribs and beyond. In 2011, we wanted to capitalize on the Contradictionary’s momentum—by moving beyond mere wordplay to engaging consumers on a deeper, more personal level.
Our target: the archetypal Millennial. Opinionated, plugged in, and socially active. They have shown preference for brands that practice social responsibility.
With that in mind, we decided to empower them. Rather than Starburst dictate what contradictions were cool, we built a platform for fans to decide. In early 2011, Big Spaceship launched the Contradictions Project—a digitally led partnership with VH1’s Save The Music Foundation that encouraged Starburst fans to celebrate the contradictions that make us who we are. Backed by a $250,000 donation by Starburst, we selected 5 middle school music programs across the country to focus our efforts on.
Rallying the brand’s 8 million Facebook fans for the cause, we built an interactive flash Facebook application that allowed users to submit their own contradictions to the project – a collective effort to celebrate and re-energize music education. Facebook status updates challenged users to contribute their contradictions and showcased video submissions each week.
Leading a team of partners and VH1 Save The Music Foundation, Big Spaceship was able to weave our narrative behind the project seamlessly into the Starburst-sponsored VH1’s Songwriters in the Round series, and even into Contradictions-themed auctions that raised additional funds for the cause.
Meanwhile, we produced interactive iPad and touchscreen installations of the interactive Facebook experience to be used at each event – allowing people to submit their contradictions to the project in real time. Finally, by producing a Starburst-branded video for Times Square Jumbotron, we broadcasted news of the Contradictions Project to millions.
Ultimately, the project tapped into Starburst fans’ desire to be part of something bigger than themselves. In the first five months, the project helped the brand gain more than 2 million new fans on Facebook, as well as over 108 million media impressions[1], and contributed more than a quarter million dollars to music education programs across the country.
Starburst, It’s a Juicy Contradiction and all affiliated designs are trademarks of the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company or its subsidiaries.
[1] Pointroll, http://www.pointroll.com/