Awake Chocolate is hoping its new music video will hit all the right notes will millennials.
The caffeinated chocolate brand teamed up with Canadian YouTube celebrity Nicole Arbour to create what it says is the first-ever music video created using Periscope. With the Periscope app, users can transmit a live recording to their Periscope and Twitter followers; viewers can then comment and ask questions in real time, making it an interactive experience.
Arbour filmed several segments using the Twitter-owned live-streaming app (where she has a daily show called #TheScope), capturing live comments from her fans. The clips were then compiled to create the music video, called “Fun Revolution,” which was posted to YouTube two weeks ago.
“We consider ourselves the millennial confectionary brand and obviously YouTube and Periscope are huge with that demographic,” says Matt Schnarr, co-founder and managing partner of Awake Chocolate. “We want to be leading edge with that group and affiliate ourselves with YouTubers as opposed to just creating our own content. It’s a huge endorsement and is much more authentic.”
Schnarr says the idea originated from Arbour, who is a “legitimate and longtime fan of the brand.” The video opens with Arbour talking about Awake Chocolate and eating the candy bar (which has as much caffeine as a cup of coffee) to give her a jolt. It then launches into the music video portion, which includes several scenes shot around Toronto.
“Fun Revolution” also has cameo appearances by Awake mascot, “Nevil the Owl,” and fellow YouTuber Matthew Santoro. It also features bonus content such as a dance lesson, a makeup tutorial and behind-the-scenes footage.
Awake Chocolate was launched in 2012 by Schnarr and his partners Adam Deremo and Dan Tzotis. The trio has extensive experience in the consumer packaged goods industry, working at such companies as Kraft Foods and PepsiCo. Awake Chocolate was featured on CBC’sDragons’ Den in 2013, and the co-founders struck a deal with investor David Chilton.
Schnarr says the overall objective behind the new Periscope video is brand awareness and education. Through research, the company knows it’s hitting the right demographic: 18- to 24-year-old post-secondary students.
“But what we have come to understand is that a lot of people see [the product] on the shelves—it’s available in a lot of stores—but they don’t necessarily know what it does,” he says. “So something like the Nicole video, where she actually tries the product and explains what it is… educates consumers on Awake.”
Awake Chocolate, which is available in milk chocolate and caramel, is sold at retailers across Canada and the U.S., including Walmart, Mac’s, Loblaws, Shoppers Drug Mart, Winn Dixie and Meijer.
This article originally appeared at CanadianGrocer.com.
