From Backyard Science to Fortnite: The Story Behind the Mentos Fizzooka

Few brand experiments have stood the test of time quite like the classic Mentos and cola combo. A mainstay of backyard science, viral YouTube videos, and overall online chaos, the fizz explosion has been entertaining audiences for over two decades.

Now, Mentos, in collaboration with BBH London, is taking the experiment to the next level – straight into the world of gaming. Introducing the Mentos Fizzooka, a custom rocket launcher that brings the mayhem to Fortnite Creative in a way never seen before.

Designed to seamlessly fit within Fortnite’s playful, over-the-top worlds, the Fizzooka looks like a giant Mentos pack strapped to a cola bottle. And it does exactly what you’d hope: blows up opponents’ builds with a single, explosive shot.

But the fun doesn’t stop in the digital realm. A real-life version of the Fizzooka, developed in collaboration with YouTube legends The Hacksmith, takes the experiment into the real world, with turbocharged soda geysers. Meanwhile, select influencers across 20 global markets will get their hands on replica versions, the result of which you will be sure to see explode on social media.

To dive deeper into this campaign, LBB’s Zoe Antonov sat down with Stu Royall, creative director at BBH London.

LBB> The Mentos and cola experiment has been a viral sensation for years, both on and offline – what was the creative spark behind transforming it into the Mentos Fizzooka, and how did the idea evolve?

Stu> Our brief was to inject Mentos into culture and if there’s one thing Mentos is already famous for, it’s the Mentos and cola experiment so it made sense to use that as the catalyst. As you say, it’s been around for years so it felt like the time was right to give it a fresh reboot and the popularity of gaming with our core audience presented us with the perfect opportunity.

LBB> How did you approach designing a branded tactical item that feels authentic to Fortnite Creative while still embodying the playful essence of Mentos?

Stu> Fortnite Creative is an incredibly innovative and playful platform. Where else can you run around dressed as a giant pickle laying waste to your opponents with an arsenal that would make Q from James Bond blush? Everyone agreed from the outset that if we were going to create something that felt authentic to the platform then it had to look a certain way.

Desirability and function was key, and that dictated the form. The look and feel of Fortnite is quite exaggerated and comical, so what could be more perfect than a bazooka that looks like a giant Mentos pack attached to a cola bottle?

LBB> What were the biggest challenges in getting the Mentos Fizzooka into Fortnite, and how did you collaborate with the map creators?

Stu> Everyone agreed early on that the Fizzooka should be non-lethal, so we had to come up with some other utility for it. Our production partners Metavision were very helpful here, identifying Fortnite ‘builds’ as something that annoyed a large section of the Fortnite fanbase and therefore something the Fizzooka could be used to destroy.

It’s the first tactical item in Fortnite Creative designed specifically to take down builds. Metavision worked with individual map creators to ensure the Fizzooka was powerful enough to be fun to play with, but not so powerful that it ruined the gameplay for everyone else. And after a certain period of time, the Fizzooka explodes on the user. This is experimental technology after all!

LBB> This is the first time a branded tactical item has been introduced in Fortnite Creative – what do you think this means for the future of brand integrations in gaming?

Stu> I’m sure others will follow in our footsteps, but it’s gratifying to be the first. As a gaming platform, Fortnite Creative is home to an incredibly creative user base, so no doubt there are plenty more ‘firsts’ still to come.

LBB> And how did you balance the need for tactical effectiveness in Fortnite with the inherently chaotic nature of a Mentos and cola explosion?

Stu> Fortnite Creative is already a chaotic and fun platform, but yes, the Fizzooka needed to offer gamers a tactical advantage. If it didn't, no one would use it. We decided to lean into the intrinsic volatility of the experiment. It’s a ridiculously high-powered launcher capable of destroying opponent’s builds in a single shot, but also capable of blowing up itself at a moment’s notice.

LBB> The real-life Mentos Fizzooka was designed in collaboration with The Hacksmith – how did that partnership come about, and what was the process of bringing the IRL version to life?

Stu> The Hacksmith are bonafide YouTube sensations, famous for bringing to life fictitious objects from movies like Star Wars’ lightsabers and Iron Man’s lasers, so we were absolutely psyched when they agreed to come on board. Their brief was to create a supercharged Mentos Fizzooka, ideally one capable of knocking down a wall. And boy did they deliver. They didn’t just knock down a wall, they blew themselves off their feet. Thankfully, no one was injured.

LBB> What was the thought process behind distributing 30 replica Mentos Fizzookas to influencers, and how did you choose which influencers would receive them?

Stu> As soon as we got the go ahead on the Fortnite Creative activation, people started asking if we could make one for real. Unlike in the world of gaming however, real-life activations are very much restricted by the laws of physics. Thankfully, our production partners at We Make Stuff Happen pulled out all the stops. The inner workings of the IRL Fizzookas are a feat of engineering. Over 20 international markets are involved in this campaign and they were all given the freedom to choose the right influencers and content creators to work with in their own individual market.

LBB> The campaign’s core message is about ‘Refreshing the everyday’. How did you ensure that the activation felt true to the Mentos brand rather than just another gaming crossover?

Stu> It helps that the Mentos and cola experiment is at the heart of the idea. Only Mentos could do this. We’ve just given it a fresh lease of life by introducing it into a new environment.

LBB> Gen z is a key target audience for this campaign. What insights about their gaming habits, humor, or engagement preferences influenced your creative approach?

Stu> Our audience is incredibly sceptical and cynical of brand activations, but they love silliness. There’s power in silliness. And what could be sillier than a giant pack of Mentos stuck to a two-litre bottle of cola that shoots a high-powered jet of soda?

LBB> What metrics will determine whether the Mentos Fizzooka campaign has been a success, both in Fortnite and in broader media activations?

Stu> We are tracking everything, as you’d expect, but the most important KPI is to build the Mentos brand.

LBB> Considering the virality of Mentos and cola experiments on platforms like TikTok and YouTube, how does this campaign tap into or extend that existing cultural phenomenon?

Stu> It’s exciting to become a part of the rich internet history of Mentos and cola. Hopefully it’s a catalyst for a new cohort to discover the fun and chaotic messiness of experiment itself. For many generations, the Mentos and cola explosion was their first introduction to scientific experimentation. And there’s an enduring magic at its heart that we seemed to have tapped into.

LBB> After this campaign, do you see potential for more long-term collaborations between Mentos and the gaming world, and if yes, what types of activations would you love to explore next?

Stu> Watch this space.