Dive Brief:
- Hi-Chew, the chewy candy that hails from Japan and has found a following in the U.S. with Gen Z and millennial consumers, introduced a mascot named Chewbie as part of a larger marketing push, according to a press release.
- Chewbie is a plump, “ambiguous” character who is meant to embody the Hi-Chew experience, the release said. The mascot, who speaks its own language known as Chewlish, will appear in marketing materials and on social media.
- In-person activations include Chewbie causing mayhem on the set of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” next month. The brand has also planned a digital billboard takeover in New York’s Times Square on Oct. 17 and will be handing out samples at Baltimore Orioles and Chicago Cubs stadiums.
Dive Insight:
Chewbie, who has a large white body, yellow face and Hi-Chew baseball cap, was designed to appeal to existing Gen Z and millennials fans of the product while helping the brand reach a wider audience. The mascot was created by agency Gigasavvy.
“Hi-Chew has a dedicated fandom, so it was critical for us to preserve the candy’s unparalleled underground appeal while expanding to a broader market,” said Mitchell Fait, executive creative director at Gigasavvy, in a statement.
Hi-Chew is produced in the U.S. by Morinaga America, a subsidiary of Morinaga & Co., the global manufacturer of confectionary products that is making headway into the U.S. market. The candy maker is building a second factory in North America to keep up with growing demand for Hi-Chew, which saw U.S. sales jump from $8 million in 2012 to over $100 million in 2021. The factory is expected to be operational in 2027.
Mascots continue to be an important part of brands’ marketing tool kits. Their role has evolved with growth in digital marketing, social media and streaming. Pop-Tarts late last year embraced dark humor with an edible mascot that was lowered into a toaster to be cooked. Ahead of the Super Bowl this year, Geico produced a mockumentary about its own gecko mascot.
In 2023, Hi-Chew partnered with Gigasavvy on a campaign that encouraged young consumers to embrace unique experiences and individuality in an effort to support the candy’s growing popularity.
