Mike and Ike Reunite

In what has become a very clever "pr" stunt, the candy brand "Mike and Ike" has gone through a roller coaster year in their relationship.  About a year ago, Mike and Ike broke up, citing "irreconcilable creative differences."  Well evidently, their love of candy has brought them back together, complete with a completely new marketing campaign.

The split was pretty dramatic, I have to say, and actually included new packaging that featured one and then the other of the names scratched off the packaging ... two versions actually where consumers could vote with their dollars on who they sided with.  Mike or Ike?

Now that the duo is back, they're launching new packaging, a new flavor, a refreshed website complete with social media activations, and a movie trailer that debuts during peak movie season late Spring and into the Summer.

It's a well rounded campaign to celebrate Mike and Ike getting back together.  If you are a candy lover, then it just doesn't get better than this!  It's a great way to differentiate in a sea of category sameness, and a great way to form an emotional connection with consumers in what could seem like an emotion-less category.

Of course those of you who know me know that I believe there is no category that is emotionless!

Take a look at the movie trailer ... drama!

What's your experience?  Jim.

Jim Joseph
- President, Cohn & Wolfe NA
- Author, The Experience Effect series
- Professor, NYU
- Contributor, Entrepreneur