Snickers Brings 'Rookie Mistake' to Life

Snickers rolled out an augmented reality experience to its football-themed “Rookie Mistake of the Year" campaign, which the Mars Inc.-owned candy brand relaunched in September. Snickers is the official chocolate bar of the National Football League.

In its second year, the campaign again invites fans to submit a football-related “rookie mistake,” but this time with a twist. The internet-based AR experience — created by The Mars Agency using technology from Blippar — leverages QR codes on Snickers' seasonal NFL packaging that encourages consumers to scan and share their rookie mistake (e.g., forgetting tickets or leaving the game too early) for a chance to win various prizes.

The AR experience invites fans to submit a question to Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs, whose disembodied head provides an answer after users shake their mobile device, according to a news release. Diggs also encourages users to enter their “award-worthy mistakes” into the sweepstakes, which can be accessed directly from the experience.

At the end of the NFL regular season, a judging panel of NFL players will select one entry as the ultimate “Snickers Rookie Mistake of the Year,” with the winner receiving tickets to Super Bowl LVII in Arizona.

Consumers can also connect to the experience by clicking on mobile-centric ads and other marketing assets, including the campaign website (Snickers.com/RookieMistake).

The Mars Agency has been working with Mars Inc. to leverage AR experiences as a go-to platform for effective consumer engagement. Earlier this year, the partners developed AR experiences that enhanced omnichannel programs for both the M&M’s and Skittles brands.