Messages, especially work emails, can be soooo polite. “Don’t hesitate to ask.” “Looking forward to meeting you.” “I’ll let you take it from here.”

Ever had a niggling thought that there was something not so sweet behind them? VML and Mondelez International sour then sweet candy brand, Sour Patch Kids, are giving people the means to find out. They can decipher hundreds of messages using the Sour Translator.

Sour Translator, the fun and mischievous tool targeting the business world’s ingenues – Gen Z, allows people to copy and paste a sweet message into the mobile-friendly site to find that its true message is more sour than it seemed to be. The translator also unlocks Sour Patch Kids candy rewards.

The activation is being promoted through social media with influencer collaboration, animated digital out of home advertisements and retail media activations across Albertsons platforms.

Manuel Borde, global chief creative officer, commerce, VML, commented, “We couldn’t be more excited to bring forth this innovative, commerce-driven, gamified experience for Sour Patch Kids. This Sour Translator campaign is a no-brainer when it comes to relevance to Gen Z, and rooted in the equity of the brand.”

Credits:
Creative Agency: VML
Chief Creative Officer: Manuel Bordé
Executive Creative Directors: Oswaldo Sa & Jeremy Ruiz
Creative Directors: Alberto Triana, Federico Mariani, Nika Mikhaylov, Lucas Pimenta & Maggie McKeon
Associate Creative Director: Felipe Menezes
Creative Director: David Pinilla
Group Director: Christina Ryan
Account Executive: Sophia Duran
Copywriter: Jamie Hill
Art Director: Dena Hobbs
Chief Technology Officer: Ivan Mayes

Client: Mondelez International [Sour Patch Kids]
Client Team: Katlyn Muller & Demi Yaou