Airheads Have More Fun

Airheads is putting a fresh twist on its head inflation ads from the early 2000s to appeal to both new and old fans.

A recurring visual gag in earlier Airheads commercials showed heads expanding after eating the candy and then bouncing around tennis courts or train carriages. A new series of irreverent spots, created by agency Highdive, is the latest example of a brand tapping into millennial nostalgia.

Four 15-second spots, directed by Harold Einstein, include the tagline, "Airheads have more fun."

The campaign launches today (Aug. 11) across YouTube, Meta platforms, TikTok, Snapchat, and online video, with more head-inflation fun to come throughout the year.

"Grandpa Likes ‘Em" sees two kids being reprimanded after inflating the head of their unsuspecting grandfather, while "Inflate Off" features an intense face-off between an Airhead chewer and inflatable flamingo.

"Oh Snap" has two fans getting into mischief by the pool, and "Pumped Up" stars a wannabe muscle man trying an Airhead-assisted shortcut.

The new ads are inspired by what older fans remember most about the brand, said Chad Broude, co-founder and co-chief creative officer at Highdive.

"The head inflation ads came up again and again, completely unprompted," Broude said. "That kind of recall is a big opportunity. It reminded us that just because a brand has been around for a while, it doesn't mean people are tired of it. In fact, it's often the opposite."

Injecting fun into the brand was a key goal of the campaign, according to Chris Borges, brand director of the non-chocolate portfolio at Perfetti Van Melle, the owner of Airheads.

"This campaign was inspired by the people who grew up loving Airheads and still enjoy them today," he said. "We're leaning into what fans remember most-the inflating heads-and building fun, imaginative stories around why it happens when you bite into Airheads. Because people who enjoy Airheads truly have more fun."