Twisties revives peak Aussie nostalgia with blue-tongue Sour Blueberry campaign via VaynerMedia Australia and Mango Communications

Twisties, the iconic Australian brand known for its unique flavours, has once again captured attention with the return of a cult favourite snack that turns tongues blue. The latest, limited-edition flavour, Twisties Sour Blueberry, was launched through a social and PR campaign led by VaynerMedia and Mango Communications.

In line with Twisties strategy of championing unexpected fun, the brand revived the iconic blue-tongue experience with a fresh twist – Twisties Sour Blueberry. The new, limited-edition flavour delivered the nostalgic blue-tongue effect Aussies fondly remember.

The campaign tapped into a wave of Aussie nostalgia while also leveraging consumers’ desire for fun and novel experiences.

Twisties teased and unveiled the new flavour across earned and owned channels, generating significant attention and engagement.  Steeped in the big, playful energy of the 2000s – a nostalgic era for millennials experiencing a renaissance with Gen-Z – the campaign channelled Twisties’ trademark twisties fun. It embraced Y2K aesthetics from a time when no one cared how baggy your jeans were, how many CDs were in your Walkman, or how blue your tongue was.

Simon Odisho, Twisties Brand Manager, says: “Twisties has always been about having fun and little bit of mischief. When we decided to bring back the blue-tongue effect, we wanted to make sure it felt fresh and relevant for today’s consumers.

“Twisties Sour Blueberry delivered on that promise – a brand-new, zesty flavour, our signature Twisties crunch and a vibrant, visual payoff that’s impossible to miss.

“The campaign appealed to Gen Z’s appetite for shareable, playful content and tapped into the nostalgic cues that resonate with older audiences who remember the original”.

Twisties Sour Blueberry was initially launched exclusively at 7-Eleven stores in early April before expanding to national retailers in May. The release followed a series of unconventional flavours including Twisties Caviar, Fortune and Spicy Ramen in 2024, and Twisties Donut King and Raspberry in 2023.

This campaign reinforced Twisties’ position as a category leader in flavour innovation, combining nostalgia with a social-first approach to engage both new and existing fans.

Brand – PepsiCo
Tracy Hardwick: Marketing Director, ANZ Foods PepsiCo
Sam O’Donnell: Marketing Manager, ANZ Foods PepsiCo
Simon Odisho: Brand Manager, Twisties & Extruded – ANZ Foods PepsiCo
Skye Oxenham: Communications Manager, PepsiCo

Creative Agency – VaynerMedia Australia
Business Director: Taryn Vernoy
Senior Account Director: Elyssa Markle
Senior Account Manager: Katrina Nakhoul
Media Director: Taylor Kanty
Media Manager: Carla Ishak
Senior Strategy Director: Christina Malloch
Post Creative Strategist: Vivien Bui
Strategist: Crystal Chen
Art Director: Nicholas Donovan
Copywriter: Asela Marcelline
Content Creator: Raveen Jayawardene

PR – Mango
Account Manager: Renay Hung
Account Executive: Eliza Staples