Music is being crowded with brands, mostly drink – alcoholic and non-alcoholic, hoping to be part of the action that attracts Gen Z. Mentos is perhaps an unexpected new entry. But Havas Play has made a clever partnership to add impact to its arrival on the scene.
Mentos has teamed up with Rolling Stone Australia (via Havas Play) to launch Mentos Fresh Sounds, a campaign built to back the next wave of Australian music talent. The campaign will help local (Australian) artists, who are facing more barriers than ever. Mentos Fresh Sounds flips the role of brand media from a space to sell, to a space that supports. Over the next three months, the campaign will spotlight fresh, independent voices, creating genuine opportunity for emerging artists, not just branded noise.
Luisa Dalli, strategy director at Havas Media, stated “This campaign lands at a pivotal moment for Australia’s music scene. While 71% of the Mentos audience is eager to discover new artists, the reality is, it’s never been harder for local talent to cut through the noise. Over 80% of artists on Spotify never even reach 1,000 monthly listeners, underscoring how tough it is to get heard in today’s oversaturated market.”
The campaign is built around the Mentos Fresh Sounds Portal. The partnership, managed by Havas Play, is a first-of-its-kind platform inviting emerging artists across Australia to submit their music directly for discovery to the Rolling Stone team. Open and accessible, the portal removes traditional barriers, giving new talent a real shot at being heard by industry leaders.
The very best submissions are then shown off in the Mentos Fresh Sounds Hub, a dedicated vertical, owned by Mentos, housing music discovery across Rolling Stone and Vinyl Media platforms, from artist interviews to intimate performances, uplifting emerging local artists and helping Aussies discover the most exciting new talent from across the country.
“Mentos Fresh Sounds is our way of stepping into music culture with intent,” commented Mentos parent, Perfetti Van Melle, senior brand manager, Nikolah Gibson. “Guided by our Yes to Fresh brand positioning, we’re committed to unearthing and championing new Aussie artists, helping them break through and bring truly fresh talent to audiences everywhere.”
An always-on content campaign will come to life in culture, starting with a full feature on genre-defying artist Fool Nelson, with more to follow in the coming weeks.
“Partnering with Rolling Stone was a deliberate move to embed Mentos in the heart of music culture, not just as a sponsor, but as a genuine supporter of emerging talent,” added Megan McMurdo, from Havas Play. It’s through partnerships like this that we create genuine moments of discovery for fans.”
The full campaign covers digital, social, outdoor, and a breakthrough live music moment at Rolling Stone House at SXSW Sydney in October.
Credits:
Client: Perfetti Van Melle [Mentos]
Strategy & Media: Havas Media
Partnership Management: Havas Play
Campaign Creative: The Idea Shed
Publisher Partner: Vinyl Media Group
