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Key Takeaways:
- Snickers enlists José Mourinho in a Viking spoof to revive its globally iconic and long-running hunger campaign message.
- T&Pm and director Shannon Murphy deliver a comedic, cinematic football-themed spectacle rooted in character, humor, and tactical absurdity.
- Future ads starring Bonmatí and Saka continue the campaign’s humorous sports narrative across digital platforms, gaming culture, and football fandom.
Snickers just dropped a Viking-sized reminder that hunger changes everything, and even José Mourinho isn’t immune.
Made together with integrated agency T&Pm, the latest commercial stars the football manager as a misplaced tactician in a Viking horde.
It was directed by BAFTA award-winning filmmaker Shannon Murphy (“Babyteeth,” “Dope Girls”), and kicks off a broader football-focused creative effort for the brand.
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This is the newest installment of the Snickers' long-running brand platform.
“Everyone knows and loves the fact that Snickers is synonymous with ‘You’re Not You When You're Hungry,’ so we're really excited to bring back this essence via our new creative,” said Fabio Ruffet, VP of brands and content at Mars Snacking.
“And what better person to make it extra special than the ‘Special One’ himself.”
This isn't Mourinho's first foray into Snickers ads.
Last year, the brand and agency teamed up with the legendary football manager for a campaign that utilizes generative AI to create special fan experiences.
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This time, the star is taking on more brief acting roles for the brand through memorable cinematic spots that remind us why the Snickers brand is full of fun and whimsy.
Strong brand memory comes from consistency, and Snickers proves how a long-running idea can stay fresh with the right casting and creative agency.
Pairing a familiar face with an unexpected role helps the brand stay relevant without straying from its core identity.
Instead of chasing trends, Snickers invests in smart execution, showing that solid storytelling beats novelty every time.
The Snickers Strategy
The hero spot opens with Mourinho stopping a Viking from sounding his horn, causing everyone around them to cease chanting.
Instead of commanding with brute force, the manager then starts drawing football formations mid-battle on a whiteboard, calling for patience and composure.
In one scene, the hungry Mourinho reorganizes the entire team into a lineup of superstar Bjørns, like “Bjørnaldo.”
Confused, the warriors look on as he maps out a 4-5-1 setup.
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A man then emerges from the crowd with a Snickers bar, and with one bite, the “Special One” snaps out of it and returns to full Viking form.
"You're not you when you're hungry," the screen writes, as the spot ends.
This Viking ad marks the first of several new football-themed efforts for Snickers.
The upcoming line-up includes Spanish star Aitana Bonmatí starring in a spot about diving, humorously reframed as hunger-induced “falling over.”
Another will feature England’s Bukayo Saka in a skit on “Hangry Gaming,” where he teams up with influencer Angry Ginge.
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Each campaign installment leans on Snickers’ classic formula, but now with football-specific storytelling that’s tailor-fit for social and digital platforms.
The upcoming pieces will roll out across Snickers’ channels in the coming months.
This ensures the brand keeps fans entertained (and full) well into the football season.
Meanwhile, Axe recently partnered with actor and comedian Pete Davidson in a campaign helping short kings become more confident with every spray.
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