MTV Movie & TV Awards

and M&M’s Caramel Product Launch

The MTV Movie & TV Awards is an annual celebration of the biggest moments in film and television, honoring fan-favorite performances, unforgettable scenes, and pop culture icons. Unlike traditional award shows, the event embraces a fun, unconventional format with categories like "Best Kiss," "Best Villain," and "Most Frightened Performance." Winners are determined by fan votes, making the show a true reflection of audience favorites. Known for its electrifying performances, viral moments, and unpredictable surprises, the MTV Movie & TV Awards continues to be a must-watch event that captures the energy of entertainment’s most exciting stars.

The objective of the campaign was to introduce and promote M&M’s Caramel to MTV’s massive, engaged audience in a fun and organic way that seamlessly integrated with the MTV Movie & TV Awards. By leveraging the high-energy, fan-driven format of the awards show, the campaign aimed to raise awareness for the new M&M's Caramel product, launched just a month prior, and encourage immediate trials and purchases. The creative strategy was carefully crafted to seamlessly blend with the dynamic energy of the show, integrating popular movie themes into four engaging animated shorts that not only showcased the M&M's Caramel product but also mirrored the high-energy, pop-culture-driven spirit of the MTV Movie & TV Awards. By weaving the product into familiar cinematic moments, we ensured that the creative felt like an authentic extension of the show, capturing the audience's attention and enhancing their viewing experience.

As Integrated Marketing Manager for MTV’s high-profile, tentpole events, I spearheaded and directed all brand creative efforts to ensure compelling storytelling that resonated with consumers. I took the lead in creative ideation sessions, driving brainstorms and conceptualizing innovative strategies that aligned with our brand vision and campaign objectives. My role included writing detailed creative briefs and overseeing the development of engaging animated content, ensuring that each piece supported the overarching narrative and engaged audiences in a meaningful way.

I effectively led a diverse team of marketing specialists, fostering collaboration across content creation, digital strategy, and social media teams. By strategically managing the distribution of content across multiple channels, I ensured our messaging reached target audiences and optimized marketing strategies through data-driven insights.

In addition to my creative leadership, I played a critical role in managing the full scope of project budgets. I successfully navigated cross-functional approvals with finance and leadership, securing necessary resources for campaign execution. With a strong focus on maximizing ROI, I meticulously balanced and optimized digital advertising budgets, strategically allocating spend across key channels to maximize reach and engagement, while continuously refining performance based on key metrics.

In May 2017, Mars Wrigley expanded its M&M's lineup with the introduction of M&M's Caramel Chocolate Candies. This new variety features a soft caramel center encased in milk chocolate and covered with the brand's signature colorful candy shell. The caramel addition marked a significant innovation for the brand, as it required extensive development to perfect the balance between the soft caramel filling and the traditional M&M's structure. Unlike previous limited-edition flavors, M&M's Caramel was introduced as a permanent offering, available in various sizes. Mars Wrigley issued an RFP to MTV, seeking a sponsorship opportunity for the Movie & TV Awards to amplify the launch of M&M's Caramel.

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41M+ impressions across cross-network platforms during the 8-week campaign surrounding the 2017 MTV Movie & TV Awards.

50+ pieces of content created and distributed across multiple channels, driving significant brand awareness and visibility for M&M’s Caramel.

Favorable engagement: The campaign generated high levels of positive interaction with the brand, driving both brand awareness and product consideration.

Mars Wrigley called the campaign one of their most successful new product launches of all time.

Demographic shift: Percentage of M&M’s Caramel customers without children increased from 38% in 2016 to 42% in 2017, indicating broader audience reach.

AME Bronze Medallion (2018): Awarded for Use of Discipline for a New Product Launch.

Campaign success led to Mars Wrigley renewing their sponsorship of the MTV Movie & TV Awards in 2018, replicating the strategy with continued success.

Strategy:

Following a series of internal brainstorms, I collaborated closely with creative teams to quickly bring our ideas to life, developing storyboards for four dynamic animated shorts. The creative direction was designed to be playful and engaging, aligning with the MTV Movie & TV Awards' fun, pop-culture-driven atmosphere while highlighting the new M&M's Caramel product.

Each short cleverly mimicked popular movie genres, creating an entertaining narrative that felt in-tune with the awards show’s tone. In the Rom-Com short, we showcased M&M's chocolates falling in love with caramel to form the new M&M's Caramel product in a sweet, heartwarming moment. The Sci-Fi short presented a UFO of M&M's chocolates abducting caramel to create the innovative new product, offering a quirky, out-of-this-world narrative.

To maximize visibility and engagement, these fun and compelling commercials aired during key commercial breaks flanking the beginning and end of the show’s acts. With a comprehensive 360-degree approach, the campaign ran across multiple screens and platforms, ensuring we reached audiences wherever they were consuming content. This multi-channel strategy drove not only heightened brand affinity but also increased product consideration for M&M’s Caramel. In addition, we strategically promoted the creative content leading up to, during, and after the event, amplifying our reach and impact across the entire campaign.

Check out more of my work here.