Butterfinger Drops Bart in Suggestive New Spot

By Erik Oster 

Where’s Bart Simpson?

That’s what countless viewers will be asking when they see the teaser ad promoting Nestle’s new Butterfinger cups, the first new Butterfinger product in five years. Nestle has decided to do away with Butterfinger’s longtime mascot (at least for this campaign), instead opting for something “much more broad” that still keeps with the brand’s “clever, irreverent personality” says Butterfinger brand Manager Jeremy Vandervoet. We’re not sure what prompted the move away from the Simpsons, but the results of Butterfinger’s first Bart-less campaign in ages are a little bizarre.

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The spot centers around a couple –Peanut Butter and Chocolate — sitting in the waiting room for “Happy Together Edible Couples Counseling,” following introductory text explaining that “The relationship between Chocolate and Peanut Butter is about to change.” As the couple is looked over by the ornery Fish and Chips, Chocolate asks, “Don’t you think it would be nice to try something new, and crunchy?” The 1:11 ad gets suggestive when the couple eye up a Butterfinger centerfold in Exotic Snacking magazine, and Cheese and Crackers emerge from the therapist’s office holding a comically large and strategically placed sausage. “The cup is about to get crunchy” reads the tagline, before the new Butterfinger Peanut Butter Cups are revealed.

While this teaser is not the same as the 30-second spot that will appear in the Super Bowl, it should give you a good idea of what to expect, as the big game spot will reportedly feature the same Edible Couples Counseling theme. We also know what not to expect: Bart Simpson. Keep your eyes peeled during the Super Bowl for Dailey’s new work for Butterfinger, and let us know what you think of the new approach in the comments section.

Update: We’ve received notification that the agency behind this spot was Threshold, not Dailey.

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