Hostess Canada is taking an entertainment-first approach to the nationwide launch of its new Craze lineup, using a skydiving goat puppet to capture attention among younger snackers.

Cossette and sister agency Septième developed creative for the campaign that sees Hostess’s returning G.O.A.T. – “greatest of all tasters” – fuel up with Craze pastries dropping from 14,000-feet in an attempt to set the record for “world’s highest skydive for a goat puppet.” A three-minute hero film is running on Hostess’s digital and social-media channels until Sept. 13, along with OOH and dedicated 15-second spots for Craze Brownie Pops, Choco Layz and Xplosion Cakes. PHD handled the media buy.

Image courtesy of Hostess Canada

Cossette senior art director and practice lead Jocelyn Goyer says the campaign was designed around the idea that younger audiences are increasingly seeking out entertainment-first brands and turning away from ads that are overly promotional.

“Modern consumers – especially younger demographics – are constantly exposed to content and have become very good at filtering out anything that feels like traditional advertising,” Goyer says. “They don’t want to be interrupted by promotional messages; they want to be entertained. The insight was simple: To earn attention today, you can’t just buy ad space, you have to earn a place in culture.”

According to Goyer, standard product claims and corporate messaging simply leave these key demographics out in the cold. In order to resonate with this new generation of snackers, the key strategy is to develop creative that doesn’t take itself too seriously and respects the audience’s intelligence. Not only does a deliberately absurd stunt like Craze’s set the grounds for a memorable ad, it can create moments that consumers voluntarily pass along to their friends and family.

“For Hostess, it’s a bold step into culture, moving from a traditional snack brand to an energetic entertainment creator that people actively want to engage with,” Goyer says. “The Craze lineup responds to a clear shift in consumer expectations: Audiences no longer just want new flavours, they crave brand experiences.”