Insight:
HI-CHEW® fans love the candy’s unique double layers and chewy burst of fruit flavors. The brand is a well-known favorite in Japan and has been expanding on a super-fandom within the U.S. To help new audiences relate to the brand on a deeper level they wanted to develop a mascot that the Chew Crew could interact with.
CLIENT
HI-CHEW
SERVICES
Market Research
Brand Positioning Strategy
Brand Identity & Design
Creative Strategy
Concept & Campaign Design
Content & Storytelling
Commercial Production
Branded Content
Social Media Content
Video Production
Motion Graphics & Animation
Idea:
Gigasavvy stepped in to personify HI-CHEW® with new mascot development. Armed with market and competitive research, we custom-crafted a mascot persona with an image and personality who captures HI-CHEW®’s commitment to playfulness, creativity and inclusivity — and serves as a puffy, lovable lesson in branding.
“A lot of thought went into every detail of Chewbie, from the shape of their body, to their walk, to every nuance of their quirky personality,” says Mitchell Fait executive creative director at Gigasavvy, “HI-CHEW® has a dedicated fandom, so it was critical for us to preserve the candy’s unparalleled underground appeal while expanding to a broader market.”
The new mascot, Chewbie, is the embodiment of the candy itself, a plump, carefree chewlet with a mission of making the world around them a bit more fun and extraordinary. Standing 11 sticks of HI-CHEW® tall and speaking with a unique language, Chewlish, Chewbie now spends each day spreading joy across America with innocently mischievous antics on social media, TV, OOH and upcoming product collaborations.
Impact:
The team at Morinaga America, Inc., HI-CHEW®’s parent company, are thrilled to welcome Chewbie to the team. “Chewbie embodies everything that HI-CHEW®® represents – joy, excitement, and chewiness,” said Teruhiro Kawabe (Terry), Chief Representative for the USA; President, CEO of Morinaga America, Inc., “Chewbie’s friendly energy and mischievous attitude are sure to bring even more fun to the HI-CHEW® brand. We look forward to welcoming Chewbie as our official mascot and creating opportunities for fans to interact with a tangible vision of HI-CHEW®.”
After initially being introduced to the world on HI-CHEW®’s social media accounts, Chewbie made a national television appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! where the fun-loving mascot helped Guillermo pass out Halloween candy, before heading to New York City to capture attention with a 3D billboard in Times Square.
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