Curiosity

killed the cat—yet, spared the copy intern. I stepped off the elevator as a doe-eyed, bushy-tailed intern at Curiosity Advertising and left a hardcore, real-life copywriter. Well, all of that minus the hardcore part. I found my calling, fell in love with words all over again, met some cool people, and made some ads with the goal of engaging authentically. Okay, and maybe get a chuckle here and there, too. [Pause for laughter.]

MENTOS CARAMELS DIGITAL CAMPAIGN

The intern class of 2016 was tasked with conceptualizing a social media campaign to introduce Perfetti Van Melle’s newest candy, Mentos Caramels. We were challenged to set the overall tone for the brand that would live on all social media channels throughout the year. As my first real assignment, my goal was to elevate Mento’s voice to speak to demographics that grew up with the candy before the age of social media and relate to those who live and breathe social media but don’t engage much with the brand. To better understand where Mento’s is today, I needed to better understand its past. Especially, in a decade where—like me—new advertising tactics were born into a world that today would leave you beaming with nostalgia and cringing with chagrin.

The Freshmaker became my muse. Delighted by its catchy jingle and quirky aesthetic—this flashback left me pondering my own delightful and awkward moments. This sparked the idea for Mentos Caramels—as a candy made for connection, I figured, what better way to introduce it to the world than by embracing it in one big awkward moment? Like, when chocolate went in for the handshake but caramel brought it on in with a hug. Whatever the moment, “smooth it over with Mentos Caramels.” My pitch, however awkward, was selected by Perfetti Van Melle to spearhead their digital campaign.

MY FIRST AD EVER.

Yes, it still hangs on my fridge.