Diving overview:
- MoonPie and SunChips, two snack brands named after celestial bodies, are ramping up their individual marketing efforts to coincide with the total solar eclipse on April 8th.
- Moon Pie, owned by Chattanooga Bakery, is running a social media campaign pitting the moon against the sun in pro wrestling-inspired matches. The marshmallow sandwich supplier is also selling a survival kit in the form of a blackout box for solar eclipse viewing.
- Frito-Lay's Sun Chips will release new flavors for a limited time during the solar eclipse. Solar Eclipse Limited Edition Pineapple Habanero and Black Bean Spicy Gouda is promoted in partnership with astronaut and researcher Kelly Gerardi.
Dive Insight:
As attention turns to the skies on April 8, marketers are looking to make the most of the weeks leading up to the highly anticipated astronomical event by releasing exclusive merchandise and content that is both humorous and educational. The total solar eclipse on April 8 will be the last of its kind to be seen from the continental United States until August 23, 2044.
Solar eclipses frequently cause excitement among people as they try to catch a glimpse of the celestial superposition with the help of protective glasses that block the sun's rays. This level of hype is further amplified in the age of social media, where discussions around live events can explode in real time. Around the time of the 2017 solar eclipse, MoonPie made headlines by: Shoot over the bow at a rival hostess on the platform then known as Twitter.
According to a press release, Moon Pie will return to social media in 2024, staging a WWE-like parody between the moon and the sun in a “billion-year rematch in space.” Advertisements for the “Sun vs. Moon '24: Brutality in the Totality” event are inspired by wrestling promotions where muscular men challenge each other in the ring. The teaser is briefly interrupted by an expert trying to explain the details of the eclipse, then interrupted by a bombastic announcer.
Marshmallow sandwich marketers are also touting a survival kit that doubles as a blackout box to aid in eclipse viewing. The limited edition products, which come in chocolate, vanilla and banana flavors, will be sold at Dollar Tree, participating Walmart stores, select grocery stores and the brand's website.
MoonPie is expanding its marketing reach with the help of record agency Tombras. Late last year, the company used interest in government hearings on UFOs to run an ad campaign targeting extraterrestrial life.
SunChips, on the other hand, leans toward a scientific angle, working with Gerardi, an astronaut, researcher, and parent, to make complex concepts easy to understand and fun. The brand has launched a website dedicated to the eclipse and is creating content for Instagram, TikTok, X and Facebook for the day. Furthermore, we will carve messages for the moon into the wheat fields that line the path of wholeness.
The brevity of this astronomical phenomenon also plays a role in Frito-Lay's campaign. In what SunChips is billing as “The Most Limited Time Offer in the Universe,” SunChips will be selling new chips themed for just 4 minutes and 27 seconds, or the entire total solar eclipse, through SunChipsSolarEclipse.com while supplies last.
