Today, TikTok is introducing Re:Make – a celebration of the iconic advertising campaigns that have shaped our industry and influenced culture. The creator platform has partnered with a few select brands and creative agencies to reframe, reimagine and remake some of the greatest advertising stories – as TikToks, of course!
“We’re excited to be partnering with three legendary brands, creative agency BBDO and The Hive (Mars Wrigley’s in-house social team), to revisit some of the most celebrated campaigns in advertising history, and to see TikTok creators breathe new life into these beloved brands’ award-winning creative,” said Kinney Edwards, Global Head of Creative Lab, TikTok.
TikTok has positioned itself as the platform where stories start and creativity thrives. It’s home to a new generation of creative community that has evolved the platform into a culture creation engine. Thanks to our creators, these timeless stories can be told and retold in exciting new ways.
The first brands to join the Re:Make program are SKITTLES, SNICKERS and Old Spice, who have each partnered with TikTok creators to reimagine iconic ad campaigns as TikToks.???? Explore #TikTokReMake
SNICKERS “Game”
In 2010, Mars partnered with creative agency, BBDO, and launched the famous “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” SNICKERS campaign with a Super Bowl ad starring Betty White. In the original spot, we can see a “hungry” Betty White playing football, poorly, only to be tackled to the ground by the other team. After some witty banter, she’s offered a SNICKERS bar and transforms back into the “non-hungry” player.
The ad sparked a conversation across pop culture news outlets for months following the game and was named one of the top five favorite Super Bowl ads of all time by USA Today in 2021. The campaign has since become a global platform activated in more than 70 countries worldwide and has won 47 Cannes Lions.
The classic campaign is reimagined in TikToks by creator @rosssmith, alongside his grandmother “Granny” — a duo beloved by the TikTok community.
“When we first suggested recreating the iconic SNICKERS campaign to BBDO Worldwide CEO, Andrew Robertson, and CCO, David Lubars, they said ‘yes’ on the spot,” said Katie Puris, Head of Global Brand and Creative, TikTok. “And let’s be honest, if you can get David Lubars to agree to your idea, which is actually his idea, it must be a good idea.”
“It was great to work with TikTok and our agency partners at BBDO New York to reinvent the classic SNICKERS spot “Game” with Betty White,” added Chris Brody, Mars Wrigley Brand Communications Architect. “I think we can all agree that the insight around ‘You’re not you when you’re hungry’ is just as relatable now as ever, and we can’t wait to see how the TikTok creators evolve the concept of ‘feeling out-of-sorts’ when you are hungry in their own unique ways.”
SKITTLES “Touch”
In 2007, Mars released one of the most acclaimed TV ads in history: Skittles’ “Touch.” With its dark, poignant humor, it quickly became a fan favorite for the industry. In the original spot, our main protagonist has some sort of “Midas Touch”, where instead of turning things into gold, he can turn them into Skittles. While everyone around him finds this amusing, we quickly see that it’s actually not as much fun as it sounds.
TikTok Creators each brought their own magic touch to the concept. Animated dance video creator @maddiwinter used her signature animations to recreate the Skittles “Touch” effect in everyday objects, while popular science creator @nickuhas dreamed up a colorful experiment with a dark twist.
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Old Spice “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like”
First released in 2010 and since racking up over 100 awards globally–including no less than 37 Cannes Lions–this remains one of the most talked-about ads of all time. The original spot featured former footballer-turned-model Isaiah Mustafa, known as “Old Spice Man,” confidently addressing the camera while moving through a series of cool, manly scenarios–stepping from a bathroom to a yacht to riding a horse on the beach–all in a single take without breaking eye contact.
Developed in tandem with TikTok’s Creative Lab, creators are at the heart and centre of the new campaign, including the much-loved @munyachawawa and @niall.gray who have been tasked with adding a unique local spin to the reimagined creative by incorporating UK references, culture and distinctly British humour.
Re:Make videos will be aggregated under the hashtag #TikTokReMake, with users encouraged to create their own renditions of their favorite ads.
