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hailey fitzgerald / strategist ☆
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entry no. 4.
Nerd's Juicy Gummy Clusters
This project builds on the existing NERDS Super Bowl spot with a pre and post game campaign designed to extend the buzz beyond game day.
My Gummy Buddy: Ivana Wade (ST)
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TL;DR
Nerds Juicy Gummy Clusters needed their moment, so we made the Super Bowl juicy; utilizing the already existing spot with Andy Cohen’s energy to stir buzz before, during, and after the ad.
My Spark
I am borderline addicted to Nerds Gummy Clusters, so this project was pure joy and a test of self-control.
We started with a look around the candy category, then dug into past Super Bowl campaigns to see what makes the brand stand out.
Research Methods
Brand Audit
Looked at past Super Bowl ads to see how Nerds has shown up before, what’s worked, and where there was room to do something different.
Competitive Analysis
Dug into the 2025–2026 candy landscape to understand where Nerds stands and where there’s space to stand out.
Social Listening
Used social listening to understand how people see Andy Cohen and how his personality shaped reactions to the ad.
✿ ☆ the shelf check ☆ ✿
Where Nerd's Stands
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After the brand’s first Superbowl ad in 2024,
33M
households were reached
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The candy saw a
55%
increase
in retail dollar sales from 2024 to 2025.
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Gummy Clusters became popular with Millenials and Gen-Z making Nerds a
$1b
corporate entity
Did you know?!? ↓
Nerds launched Juicy Gummy Clusters in September 2025.
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TOP 3 SELLING CANDY IN 2025
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THE CHALLENGE
Nerds win with their original Gummy Clusters but fails to convert that success into Juicy Gummy Clusters.
The brand is proven but the newer product isn’t resonating or competing effectively.
HOW?!
~ 💬 ~
juicytalk
Whether we’re wearing it, biting into it or craving it, there’s just something about juicy that pulls us in.
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How 'juicy' Shows Up in the World
So, we looked at the double entendre in the brand's name...
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THE INSIGHT
"Juicy" isn't just a word. It's a feeling we chase in everything.
HOW ?!
Whether it's a juicy fruit, a juicy burger or Juicy clothes, 'juicy' ultimately becomes something we crave.
THE PROOF
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♡ that’s over half the friend group! ♡
Gossip makes up ~65% of conversations and, especially when it involves juicy celebrity drama, triggers dopamine—making it feel like addictive emotional junk food.
Tangy Outside
Juicy Inside
For Nerd's, they can play on the double entendre of the meaning of juicy to create conversation during advertising's biggest moment.
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STRATEGY
Keep things 'juicy'
HOW?!
With Andy Cohen already starring in its Super Bowl spot, NERDS can carry his connection to all things juicy into the pre and post game rollout, reaching his audience and keeping the conversation going beyond game day.
The Rollout Plan
before, during & after the big game ~
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Pre-Game
Drive buzz and get people to tune into the super bowl
Success is increased viewership for the Superbowl and engagement on social media from Andy’s followers
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Note for the “During the Game” section
The existing NERDS Super Bowl spot reveals the new Juicy Gummy Clusters. The ad itself was not created by me. This work builds on that reveal with the “Best Buds, Taste Buds” campaign.
Post-Game
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Keep the juices flowing by leveraging TV appearances and social media to highlight best buds with taste since the two go great together
Success looks like increased Nerds sales, more engagement and conversations surrounding Bravo TV shows and traitors with Nerds engrained in the culture.
Best buds? Or best-kept secrets? Andy is best known for stirring the pot, so we'll have him post a cryptic tweet to get people guessing about who's frenemies.
~ kickoff! ~
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~ final whistle ~
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Andy will sit down with past and present Nerds characters and find out who's had injections or not. Special guest DK Metcalf will bartend with a special Nerds-inspired cocktail and talk about his love for candy.
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During the Game
We reveal that the best bud was in fact the new Juicy Gummy Clusters
We rollout the best buds, taste buds campaign
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How it Scales
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Context: An emoji for when someone casually says the quiet part out loud. Watch the concept come to life in the video below, alongside the emoji itself ↓
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We’ll lean into popular slang and drop in the Juicy Gummy Cluster to stay in culture and spotlight how juicy the stories are.
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Juicy Gummy Cluster
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Nerds will create their own emoji, keeping things extra juicy.
What I Learned
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This project pushed me to add meaning beyond the core idea. I found a way to highlight a key product benefit while still connecting back to the ad. It kept everything true to Andy so it felt natural, not forced.