SNICKERS wants its chocolate brown on the football field.
The candy brand and adidas are releasing their first football cleat, an ADIZERO ELECTRIC + II in Snickers brown with a Ghoulish Green insole and a Snickers lace charm.
The cleat grounds a brand partnership timed to football season and the run-up to Halloween.
Mars Snacking VP of Chocolate Marketing Maria Urista shares that the brand has always satisfied fans "on and off the field," and the partnership brings that spirit to the field like never before.
"Creating our first-ever SNICKERS x adidas football cleat and matching bars, we continue to give fans new ways to celebrate both the Halloween and football seasons," she added.
The limited-edition ADIZERO ELECTRIC + II will retail for $180 and goes on sale October 10 at adidas.com in limited quantities for U.S. fans.
Sweepstakes Bars Push the Drop
Apart from the cleats, the two brands have joined forces to launch exclusive SNICKERS x adidas bars in time for Halloween.
Featuring co-branded snack packaging, the new product will be available only through a sweepstakes running now through October 13.
SNICKERS and adidas are also bringing the design behind the cleat's secret green insole to the sweepstakes with a hidden stash of SNICKERS Ghoulish Green bars.
From October 12 to 16, fans can enter on SNICKERS' Instagram for a one-of-a-kind prize inspired by the collaboration.
Lastly, NFL rookie Carnell Tate, a partner to both brands, will deliver a special game day surprise on October 11 through social, wrapping the whole campaign together.
The efforts serve as a testament to brands moving into apparel to reach shoppers outside the grocery aisle.
Recently, Tim Hortons brought back its adidas Tims Run Club line ahead of National Coffee Day, with pieces from $24.99 to $129.99.
The collection is a nod to the Canadian daily ritual of going on a "Tims run," with Tim Hortons promoting the pieces as fashion statements for their next coffee order.
Why Candy Wants a Sneaker Drop
Americans are expected to spend $13.5 billion on Halloween this year, with $4.1 billion going to candy, according to the National Retail Federation.
The same survey found 96% of consumers plan to buy candy, but only 61% plan to hand it out, suggesting a good share is bought for the buyer.
These numbers justify why big brands like SNICKERS and adidas must capitalize on the growing market with two products that cater to both Halloween and football fans.
Three ways to apply the same thinking:
- Gate the treat: Routing the bars through a sweepstakes keeps supply tight and gives an everyday candy a collectible feel.
- Hide a payoff in the product: The green insole stays out of sight until someone laces up; tiny details and small design choices that the owners would come to appreciate.
- Stack short windows: A cleat launch on October 10, a Tate surprise on October 11, and a giveaway through October 16 keep attention up and going.
Snickers already owns the color, and the cleat gives it somewhere to wear it.
The open question now is how many shoppers return to the bar once the limited run ends.
Our Take: Who Wants Mud-Colored Cleats?
There's an audience for this, and both SNICKERS and adidas had the foresight to cater to them.
The collab takes a familiar football silhouette and gives it a colorway that's unmistakably SNICKERS, while the hidden Halloween detail adds another reason to look twice.
To us, it's a smart way to make an unexpected pairing feel natural.
Overall, adidas brings SNICKERS into a space where its branding can become part of the gear itself, while the limited-edition chocolate bar gives non-players a way into the collaboration.
A win-win for both parties entering October.
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