Imagine the iconic kid’s brand Hostess Twinkies cruising in a "Munchie Mobile" to cannabis dispensaries. This isn’t a Saturday Night Live sketch. It’s J.M. Smucker’s new marketing tactic for the 106-year-old Hostess brand they bought in 2023.

From Twinkie The Kid To Cannabis Culture

As Katie Deighton describes in the Wall Street Journal, Twinkie the Kid is "taking a siesta." In his place is a campaign targeting cannabis fans celebrating 4/20, the unofficial national holiday for cannabis culture.

The Munchie Mobile visits East Coast dispensaries at 4:20 p.m. daily. It ends with a six-hour event in Brooklyn on April 20th.

This initiative marks a sharp turn for a brand known for childhood nostalgia. Smucker admits Hostess had lost relevance. I find this embrace of cannabis culture fascinating after decades of family-friendly marketing - it seems unprecedented for a brand like Twinkies.

A pun-filled press release notes the brand is “taking the high road” and includes the promise, “We Twinkie swear it will be lit.”

A High-Stakes Bet On Snacking Culture

Smucker paid $4.6 billion for Hostess at a time when the pandemic was boosting sales of snack items.

Now, snack sales are down industry-wide. Weight-loss drugs threaten to change eating habits. With their sweet snack sales dropping by 7%, Smucker needs to find new customers fast.

Getting Baked Goods Baked Again

Smucker is trying multiple approaches: redesigning packaging, creating a "Speakie Snackie" promotion, and people saying phrases like, "Bet you dollars to Donettes, I have the munchies" for free snacks.

Brands need emotional connections with consumers. Smucker gets this. They tap into Hostess's bold heritage with slightly irreverent marketing.

They’re also launching mini versions of popular items. They have already brought back Suzy Q’s cakes and my own guilty pleasure, HoHos.

Smart Marketing Or Half-Baked Idea?

This strategy uses sound psychology. Associating Twinkies with post-cannabis snacking creates strong purchase triggers. When you get "the munchies," you might remember that Twinkie ad.

Free samples leverage the principle of "reciprocity." I’ve seen this work countless times. When someone gives us something free, we feel obligated to return the favor. And, at the same time the brand is handing out the freebies, they are showing the recipients that they are part of the same identity group. That invokes Robert Cialdini’s “liking” principle, if not the stronger “unity.”

Of course, only a handful of customers will be able to visit the Munchie Mobile in person during it’s brief East Coast run. The brand is counting on broader exposure driven by its unexpected and unconventional pivot.

Many marketers fear trying things that might alienate traditional customers, but the old fans of Hostess Twinkies were already leaving. Sometimes bold moves are needed to stay relevant.