May 14 - As part of its £2.5m summer media investment in its ‘Yes to Fresh’ campaign, Mentos has teamed up with KISS Fresh to shine a spotlight on emerging talent, memorable moments and unique experiences. The collaboration involves Mentos sponsorship of KISS Fresh and the KISS Hype Chart, along with the creation of a ‘Corner Shop Drop’ social content series.

Introducing the Corner Shop Drop series: a glimpse into emerging UK Talent. Spanning five episodes, the series will offer an authentic look at up-and-coming artists as they explore their local corner shops. Each episode features insightful interviews delving into their careers, along with freestyle performances that will be shared across KISS and Mentos socials for our audience to enjoy and engage with. To drive people to watch the series online, spotlights and live reads will be heard across the KISS Network as well as shared on KISS social channels.

The 10-month campaign will culminate in a KISS Future Hype event in September, showcasing performances from the freshest names in the game, musical trends and what’s to come for the rest of the year. Lucky listeners will be in with a chance to win tickets on air, all thanks to Mentos.

Rebecca Frank, Content Director, KISS, said: “Just like Mentos, at KISS Fresh we’re all about staying fresh. Our KISS audience are constantly on the pulse when it comes to new artists, so we can tap into this passion by bringing fresh recommendations, new content and live music from the hottest emerging artists to our audience in a way that is fresh and unexpected, all whilst putting Mentos front and centre.”

Simon Kilby, MD, Bauer Media Advertising added: “At Bauer Media we are constantly coming up with new, fresh ideas and content that work best for our clients and create impact with their customers. This ‘Corner Shop Drop’ content series not only is the ideal type of content that audiences want, but show how our brands are the perfect platform for multi-media 360 campaigns that span radio, online and in-person.”

Sarah du Plessis, Senior Brand Manager, Mentos said: “Mentos is all about embracing fresh experiences and what better way to champion this ethos than by joining forces with KISS to pioneer the ‘Corner Shop Drop’ series? We’re so excited to be spotlighting emerging artists, providing them with a platform to kickstart their careers, and foster authentic connections and cultural relevance among our Gen Z demographic. Encouraging our audience to say ‘Yes to Fresh’ is at the heart everything we do, and our latest collaboration truly embodies this – offering innovative avenues for both artists and enthusiasts to embrace and celebrate freshness in every moment.”

Emily Rich, Strategy Lead, Wavemaker UK said: “Using proprietary tools, we crafted a positive provocation which changed the shape of our comms for 2024. Our strategy is to make Mentos the invigorating treat that enhances everyday moments by fostering social connection and cultural relevance with Gen Z’s. To do so we’ve partnered with KISS Fresh, the authority on fresh music and the perfect partner, to bring Mentos’s ‘Yes to Fresh’ proposition to life.

Antonia Digby, Content Director, Wavemaker UK said: “This unique partnership builds on our fresh new music credentials by promoting up and coming talent and giving them a platform to increase their exposure. Not only does this help us embed into culture, but it does so in a creative, contextually relevant way which is natural to both the Mentos product and the gen z experience. We’re incredibly excited to bring this partnership to life and give the Kiss audience more reasons to say Yes to Fresh”.