ERLANGER, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#SamHasMentosGum — a 26-foot moving truck filled with 43,000 bottles of Mentos Pure Fresh Gum. If Sam can share it all before the first day of school, DJ Khaled will play a free campus concert.
That’s 7,166 bottles of Mentos Gum per day, 298 bottles per hour, 5 bottles per minute.
As students descended on University of Wisconsin-Madison this week, Mentos Gum surprised one incoming freshman, Sam Jeschke, with this epic challenge to reinforce how the simple act of sharing Mentos Gum can forge lasting connections. Sam has until the first day of class on Wednesday, Sept. 6 to share 43,000 bottles of Mentos Gum — enough to make fresh connections with the entire UW student body.
“Millions of incoming freshmen are filled with nervous excitement this time of year as they suddenly find themselves surrounded by thousands of new people in a new environment,” said Sylvia Buxton, Vice President Marketing for Perfetti Van Melle North America. “The #SamHasMentosGum challenge was created to demonstrate how Mentos Gum gives you a boost of confidence when meeting new people. Just this simple act of sharing a piece of Mentos Gum is all it takes to create a lasting connection. We look forward to watching Sam prove this on a scale never seen before.”
In addition to providing Sam with 43,000 bottles of Mentos Gum, the brand is launching a fully integrated campaign to generate awareness and rally support for Sam’s mission not only on the UW campus, but also on college campuses nationwide.
By visiting SamHasMentosGum.com, consumers throughout the U.S. can share ideas to help Sam make connections. In exchange for their suggestions, consumers will be entered to win a VIP package for the DJ Khaled concert at UW later this fall. In addition to sweepstakes rules and entry, the website also features video and photo content, a real-time counter logging the number of bottles Sam has distributed and a map showing Sam’s location throughout the entire challenge.
As the clock ticks down, Mentos Gum social media accounts will share Sam’s progress and highlight the best and quirkiest moments through engaging photo and video content. Sam will also be supported by record producer and music mogul DJ Khaled and by social media mega-star Sara Hopkins, both of whom will use their respective social media accounts to encourage Sam along the way.
As the title sponsor for the University of Wisconsin football team’s televised season-opener on Friday, Sept. 1. #SamHasMentosGum will take over a raucous Camp Randall Stadium as the Badgers play Utah State University at 9 p.m. EST. The game will air on ESPN.
Follow Sam’s journey by checking out the #SamHasMentosGum hashtag on social media, or by following on Mentos Gum on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
About DJ Khaled
DJ Khaled’s latest album Grateful (We The Best Music Group/Epic Records) debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America on August 23, 2017. A major force in the music industry, mogul, executive, mega producer and recording artist, DJ Khaled, known as the "Anthem King" and commonly referred to as the "Quincy Jones of Hip Hop & R&B", has made dozens of chart topping hit records featuring JAY Z, Kanye West, Drake, Chris Brown, Ludacris, T.I., French Montana, Future, Big Sean, Rick Ross, John Legend, Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne, among others.
About Perfetti Van Melle
Perfetti Van Melle is a global leader in the confectionery business and is the third-largest candy and gum manufacturer in the world. PVM creates imaginative products and brands that are enjoyed in more than 150 countries, including beloved brands like Mentos and Airheads.
About Mentos
Mentos is in 159 countries on this planet alone, so it’s fair to say Mentos is a global brand. Mentos comes in a lot of different shapes, flavors, and sizes, so there’s something for everyone and every taste. A lot of other brands out there obsess about what makes us all different; we’d rather explore the things we have in common. The Mentos brand is well-known. And it’s well-loved too. So wherever you go, one thing you can be sure of when you meet someone new is that they love Mentos. This means that if you have Mentos in your hand you have the ultimate conversation starter, a sure way to make a connection. All you need to do is offer.
After all, who says no to Mentos?