• Brandweek, Friday, June 16, 2006 12:15 PM

Hershey's is using the time-honored tactic of simple hyperbole in a new marketing effort for its Take 5 candy bar. The candy marketer has decided that henceforth, Take 5--made from peanuts, caramel, pretzels, peanut butter, and milk chocolate--will be known as "The greatest candy bar ever." While the candy bar's sales record is no match for competitors from Masterfoods USA--such as Snickers or even the company's own Hershey's Chocolate Bar--it nonetheless has racked up impressive numbers in a short time. Take 5 sales from drug, grocery, and mass merchandise outlets--excluding Wal-mart--jumped 80.8 percent to $17.2 million for the year ended April 16, per Information Resources Inc. As part of the effort, Hershey's snagged comedy director Peter Segal of "Tommy Boy" and "Naked Gun 33 1/3" fame to judge a "Take 5 Taste & Believe Film Contest." Through July 31, consumers can submit a video or DVD showcasing in 60 seconds why they believe Take 5 is the greatest candy bar ever. Segal will select the top five entries, and consumers can vote for their favorite on TheGreatestCandyBarEver.com, which also has entry details for the contest. The winner gets a $10,000 prize, and the four runners-up get $500.

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