Running Head: HERSHEY’S HAPPY AND HEARTSTRINGS 1
Hershey’s Happy and Heartstrings Emotional Branding
Patricia Friedman
University of Southern California
September 27, 2016
HERSHEY’S HAPPY AND HEARTSTRINGS 2
Hershey’s Happy and Heartstrings Emotional Branding
Introduction:
For over 120 years, the iconic Hershey’s brand has been known for providing high
quality and delicious products. Besides offering over 80 high quality and delicious products,
Hershey’s has also been known for being socially committed to helping surrounding
neighborhoods across the United States to the streets of Shanghai, Mumbai and villages of West
Africa their goal to nourish one million minds by 2020 (Hershey’s, n.d.). In terms of Hershey’s
advertising, in the past, they focused on the products themselves–what was inside the wrapper
not on how it made people feel. Nonetheless in 2016, Hershey’s brand has decided to make a
major change. Hershey’s advertising will now focus on spreading happiness and at the same
time establishing an emotional connection that people will feel when they consume Hershey’s.
This iconic Hershey’s brand will have a personality of its’ own with unique characteristics and
personas that will belong solely to Hershey’s. This new campaign will not only have an
emotional emphasis but is also uniting all Hershey branded treats in this one campaign (Schultz,
2016). Below is a look at some of Hershey’s available and current research. Hershey’s use of
social media approach.
Research Strategy:
By narrowing how they utilize social media to launch their new campaign Hershey’s will
be able to reach their target audience (everyone). Hershey’s decided to take an extra step by
merging its social media channels for each brand into one Hershey master account on Twitter and
Facebook. Some changes are delightful, like our new handle @HERSHEYS. RT to share this
tasty news (Refer to Appendix).https://t.co/C0Oty4QaJf— HERSHEY’S (@Hersheys)
February 1, 2016
HERSHEY’S HAPPY AND HEARTSTRINGS 3
Twitter is assisting Hershey’s in promoting and engaging their customers with this new
master brand campaign (uniting all Hershey branded treats under one campaign). Additionally by
launching this new master brand campaign it will leverage Hershey’s power into what could be
viewed as becoming a mega franchise (Schultz, 2016). From Twitter to Facebook, Hershey’s is
getting their message across to their social media audience (customers). For instance, Hershey’s
is using social media in what is known as “doubling down” in terms of the Summer Olympics
(Refer to Video image in Appendix). By partnering with USA Gymnastics and Olympics this
will continue to spread the news of their new master brand campaign “Hello Happy. Hello
Hershey’s” (The Sports Business Exchange, 2016). Refer to Appendix to view an image of
Shannon Miller who is another Olympian spreading the awareness for the new Hershey’s
campaign “Hello Happy. Hello Hershey’s”. Not only is the Reese Hershey Brand spreading the
campaign but also the Hershey brand of Hershey’s chocolate is giving each Olympic Gymnastic
(Refer to Appendix) a Hershey’s branded keepsake box that contains letters from friends and
family and also Hershey Chocolate Bars. “A mobilized platform and the hashtag
#hellofromhome will allow fans to send their own messages to athletes, that may be sent to the
respective athletes and featured in future videos” (Jaekel, 2016).
Besides the Hershey’s social media research when searching for 2016 Hershey’s TV
commercials the results were overwhelming; however there was one link which when clicked
upon provided the top 75 TV ads. Narrowing down the results even further was accomplished by
clicking on Hershey’s TV Commercials via Spot.tv (Refer to Appendix). Also, at this Hershey’s
TV Commercials via Spot.tv link there were more than 77 nationally aired TV ad campaigns for
Hershey’s. Also at the top of the 75 TV ads that could be viewed the following comments were
made “Sign up to track 75 nationally aired TV ad campaigns for Hershey’s. In the past 30 days,
HERSHEY’S HAPPY AND HEARTSTRINGS 4
Hershey’s has had 8,708 airings and earned an airing rank of #37 with a spend ranking of #147 as
compared to all other advertisers. Competition for Hershey‘s includes Reese’s, M&M’s, Snickers,
KitKat, Airheads and the other brands in the Food & Beverage: Candy & Gum industry (Refer to
Appendix) and the other brands in the industry. From television ads, the researched moved onto
Hershey Radio Ads. When the words 2016 Hershey’s Radio commercials were typed into the
Google Chrome search box the result was from the Hershey Community Archive link that stated
“The Hershey Company did not incorporate media advertising for its products until the company
was over 75 years old. “Even though Hershey Chocolate Company did not advertise in
newspapers, magazines or on the radio, it made use of a variety of advertising techniques.
Milton Hershey made use of store windows, counters and posters in trains and trolleys. His
