Mars Talks Twix’s New Identity and Condoning Abundance

For over a decade, Twix thrived on a playful rivalry – the left Twix versus the right Twix. Recently though, the brand flipped the script, embracing abundance over division. Enter ‘Two is More Than One’ – a bold new positioning that celebrates having it all, leaning into the undeniable truth that Twix has always been about both sides. I mean, let’s be honest – nobody can resist the second Twix, no matter if you start left or right.

This shift is more than a tagline – it’s a full-scale global reinvention, spanning a cinematic brand film, digital activations, a refreshed identity, and culture-driven marketing that taps into the rise of maximalism and a generation that refuses to choose.

But how do you evolve such an iconic campaign without losing the essence of Twix? We sat down with the key players behind the campaign – Rankin Carroll, global chief brand officer at Mars Snacking; Fabio Ruffet, vice president of brands and Content EU; and creative directors Ben Stilitz and Colin Booth from adam&eveDDB, Team OMC – to find out.

The team breaks down the creative risks of moving on from the beloved ‘Left vs. Right’ debate, why simplicity was the campaign’s greatest strength, and how they ensured the humour and messaging would land across the whopping 75 global markets, while staying relevant for all. From a high-speed car chase ad by Vedran Rupic, to the viral Super Bowl Second Screen Staredown, to AR and TikTok activations, the campaign goes beyond traditional advertising to meet younger consumers where they already are.

Twix’s new approach is clear: more fun, more cultural relevance, and more ways to remind people that when it comes to Twix, two is always better than one.

LBB> The ‘Left vs. Right Twix’ campaign was an iconic and long-running concept. What was the biggest challenge in shifting the brand’s narrative from choice to abundance while still keeping the core identity of Twix intact?

Fabio> The shift towards abundance thinking is gaining momentum. In exploring creative directions, the idea of bothism – embracing multiple possibilities rather than settling for one – proved far more compelling than having to choose.

The final work aligns perfectly with that vision, yet what stands out most is the elegant simplicity with which the core insight was realised. That clarity has been key to developing creative that is not only effective and distinctive, but genuinely fun.

Throughout the process, the adam&eveDDB team brought an infectious energy, consistently delivering fresh, unexpected ways to expand on the central idea – many of which are in the works. It's a testament to the magic that happens when bold thinking meets collaborative spirit.

Ben & Colin> It’s been a huge amount of fun, if slightly nerve-wracking too. The ‘left/right’ campaign has produced lots of great work, so you’re just hoping that whatever you end up replacing it with can be as rich a territory and live up to that standard. It’s a very good kind of pressure. Both the old and new brand positioning are rooted in the same core truth about the product, so we always felt we were on solid ground.

Once the creatives Ben Robinson and Mike Whiteside landed on ‘Two is more than one’, the work just started flowing from them. That presented another challenge though, in that it's quite straightforward to come up with a billion scenarios where something has been doubled: What if someone has two heads? Two guitars? Imagine if a person had two dogs? You really have to push past the easy and familiar stuff and look for the ones that feel genuinely surprising, funny and right for Twix.

LBB> And the idea indeed feels very ‘Twix’! Was there a specific moment or insight during the creative process where this concept clicked into place?

Ben and Colin> We all spend time thinking about brands’ higher purposes, but often, the simple truth is all you need. To express something so obvious as somehow revelatory instantly felt really fun to everyone.

It’s been really exciting for the teams to be able to dramatise something so concrete. And actually, when there is something so simple at the core, you can go to stranger places without having to explain why.

Something as simple as this just doesn’t happen without amazing clients that can share the vision and are willing to take the leap with you. So, we owe the team at Mars a big thanks for that, and for not laughing us out of the room when we first presented the line ‘Two is more than one’.

LBB> The brand film is a bold departure from traditional chocolate bar advertising - what led you to choose this offbeat, action-packed storytelling approach? What was the creative process like with Vedran Rupic?

Fabio> We want to entertain our consumers at every touchpoint. And the brand film is a great example of this – even if it is a departure from the traditional. Vedran Rupic added so much value to the process. A lot of fun, a recognisable and unique style, and, of course, a lot of entertainment.

Ben and Colin> There’s a lot of very funny confectionery advertising out there (Skittles, Snickers) so we needed Twix to be funny in a way that felt different to that, so we gave it a personality of its own. Vedran’s work has such a distinctive style. Working with him was nothing short of a pleasure, start to finish. He’s a naturally funny person and it felt like one team heading in the same direction: through a barrier, and off a cliff.

LBB> How did you ensure that the humor and messaging of ‘Two is more than one’ would resonate across all 75 global markets while maintaining cultural relevance?

Rankin> At the heart of it, our ambition was this: we wanted every consumer to say, ‘Yeah, I get it’. And that’s what makes this campaign so special. Math is a universal language - two really is more than one, whether you’re in Stuttgart or Sydney. And that sense of ‘twoness’ is exactly what makes Twix so distinctive. It’s a simple idea, sure – but sometimes, embracing simplicity is the boldest move a brand can make.

Ben and Colin> One of the reasons for the ‘genre’ element of the film is we wanted people all over the world to feel comfortable that they knew roughly what kind of film they were watching. To then subvert expectations with that ridiculous double car ending. Hollywood’s exported and influenced so many genius chase scenes all around the world that it’s a safe bet that wherever you are, you’ll recognise the type of film we’re leaning on.

At the same time, we didn’t want it to have an explicitly Americana feel. We all loved this piece of music, which gave it a driving rhythm but also some strangeness that takes it somewhere fresh and unexpected.

LBB> What consumer insights or trends informed your creative approach, and how did you bring them to life creatively?

Rankin> We’re living in the generation of ‘and’ – that was our starting point. As we dug into the online conversation, we saw it reflected in the data: the #maximalism hashtag has racked up 1.8 billion views on TikTok. When you look at how the maximalist aesthetic shows up in pop culture, it’s all about personality over conformity - an embrace of boldness, vibrancy, and a healthy dose of nostalgia. The creative minds at adam&eveDDB captured that spirit perfectly, bringing it to life in a way that feels both fresh and culturally spot-on.

Ben and Colin> It feels like we’re in a moment where people have had enough of compromising all the time, so it was fun to get to go out there and say you can have it all. WE CONDONE IT.

LBB> The campaign spans multiple channels, from AR on Snapchat to TikTok and Meta. How did you approach crafting a consistent yet adaptable campaign across such a broad range of digital experiences?

Fabio> Our approach is rooted in a consistent ethos: keep it simple. Our tone leans into the surprisingly obvious – sometimes even playfully silly – with the idea of ‘two’ always at the heart. That consistency shows up naturally across every channel.

Ben and Colin> Absolutely, it’s all in that central premise being so, so simple, and keeping a consistent tone of voice across everything. With those elements at the heart it will always feel like one campaign, even when you’re showing up in different places and doing different shaped things.

LBB> The ‘Second Screen Staredown’ Super Bowl activation was a unique way to tease the campaign. What were the key learnings from that execution, and how did it shape the full global rollout?

Fabio> ‘Second Screen Staredown’ was about unlocking people's imagination and having fun with the brand. We hijacked the commercial breaks with a second-screen game that not only racked up 1.5 billion impressions, but also kept players engaged for an average of 25 minutes! It’s proof that simplicity, when done right, can be powerfully sticky.

Ben and Colin> It was also the first opportunity for us to take a real consumer behaviour that was rooted in ‘twoness’ and activate around it. ‘Second screening’ has been talked about a bit over the last few years - for better or for worse - but being able to connect it to our work in a way that gave the behaviour a purpose was exciting. We were able to take over that second screen and give people a chance to win an epic prize, two solid gold bars for the price of looking at your phone? A no-brainer!

Moving forward it opens us up to look for other consumer or media behaviours that we can activate around in a way that engages our consumers, is fun, and delivers mutual value.

LBB> The ‘Twixmas’ anthem with D Double E and Nella Rose marked a shift into music and cultural partnerships. How do you see this kind of culture-first marketing playing a role in the long-term evolution of Twix’s brand?

Fabio> Twixmas was a lot of fun and a natural space for us to play – it’s literally in the name. It followed the same premise as the Super Bowl – playing into spaces our audience is already hanging out. And we have a lot in the works for this type of culture-first marketing.

For example, adam&eveDDB has been working on a Voicenote Harmoniser in partnership with Whatsapp – because two voices are more than one, obviously. This will be piloting in Germany and France very soon. And is another example of how we want to test and learn creative activations that play in our audience’s world. It’s about taking something ordinary and making it extraordinary with ‘twoness’. That’s how we entertain people.

Ben and Colin> Shhhhhhh, Fabio, don’t tell everyone about the new Twix Harmoniser! Don’t use this interview as a bit of free PR for the next big activation in the ‘Two is more than one’ campaign dropping in a couple of weeks!

LBB> Mars Snacking has made a significant investment to target the under-35 demographic. What role does this campaign play in future-proofing Twix’s brand relevance for a new generation of consumers?

Fabio> Any brand needs to evolve and innovate to be successful long term. This is the next chapter of Twix. Consumer and culture first. Making sure everyone can enjoy our delicious product.

Ben and Colin> Definitely, and as we’ve all mentioned it’s such a simple, tangible proposition that’s inextricable from Twix. It feels like we should be able to dip into lots of different cultural areas and keep finding new ways to entertain people in the coming years – it'll always feel like it’s from Twix as long as there's two of something in it.

LBB> Looking beyond this launch, what’s next for ‘Two is more than one’? How do you plan to extend this platform in future campaigns and activations?

Fabio> ‘Two is more than one’ is our brand ethos now. It will stay at the heart of everything we do. And we’ve got a lot more to come.

Ben and Colin> Two is more than one is such an exciting and big idea. Plotting what comes next is such a brilliant challenge and we’re all chomping at the bit. Actually, chomping at the two bits.