PopCorners Campaign Captures Snackers Curiosity

PopCorners, the air-popped corn snack, is targeting global audiences with a new brand platform, launching today, to introduce snackers around the world to a ‘Familiar, But Different’ experience.

This is the first global brand campaign from the PepsiCo-owned snack and was created in partnership with VCCP. Whilst PopCorners was established in the US and launched a memorable Superbowl spot last year, this new campaign introduces consumers in Australia, Brazil, Mexico, and more to the popped corn chips.

The new brand platform targets Millennial and gen z audiences who, while desperate to try new things, also crave comfort and reliability. ‘Familiar, But Different’ positions PopCorners as something adventurous while not completely unknown - a magic unicorn of snacks.

The campaign was built as a series of six-second social-first assets, that will be served sequentially to create multiple moments for the brand to tell the familiar but different story. The unexpected AV films sees a couple on a sofa tasting PopCorners and being transformed with each bite changing something about and around them - Familiar, But Different each time - shrinking, floating in space or suddenly growing a beard. It was crafted by internationally renowned, award-winning director Henry Littlechild from Darling who is well known for his humorous approach to ads for clients including BMW and Doritos. Littlechild and Darling worked with VCCP’s global content creation studio Girl&Bear to bring the campaign to life. 

Founded in New York in 2010, PopCorners has become known for its unique fusion of popcorn with the texture of a chip, creating an air-popped snack that offers a lighter, healthier alternative to traditional chips. While being never fried, the brand is intentionally making its ‘better-for-you’ more accessible to a broader mainstream audience.

Atif Sultan, global brand director at PopCorners, said, “PopCorners is truly a challenger within the category, a one-of-a-kind snack that stands in a space all its own. It was essential to pair it with a creative idea that builds a distinctive world, giving PopCorners a position that not only highlights its uniqueness but also its comforting familiarity.” 

Mark Orbine, executive creative director at VCCP added, ”Popcorners are a combination of popcorn and crisp. They are a familiar snack, but are also totally different. We needed an idea that brought this to life and that would capture people’s attention and imagination. The campaign is a true celebration of the wonderful snack, showing its uniqueness and telling its familiar but different story in a disruptive way.“

Launching today, the campaign will run during 2024 and throughout 2025 across social media, print, influencer channels, OOH, DOOH, and sampling across multiple markets starting in Australia, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, and the Netherlands.