Butterfinger Plans to Take on Reese's With Super Bowl Ad

Reese’s is about to get some sticky new competition from Bart Simpson-backed Butterfinger. The Nestle brand has bought a Super Bowl spot plugging a new peanut butter cup version of the classic candy bar that will launch in January.

Bart will not appear in the Super Bowl spot, said Butterfinger Brand Manager Jeremy Vandervoet. He was considered, but the brand “wanted to do something much more broad than going back to the Simpsons, which are a little old,” he said. The 30-second ad, which will run in the second half, is still under development, but it will keep the brand’s “clever, irreverent personality,” he said.

With the Super Bowl spot, Butterfinger will bump heads with Mars, which in recent years has been the only candy marketer advertising in the game. This year Mars’ spot will feature either M&Ms or Snickers.

Nestle USA has never purchased a Super Bowl ad before, and in recent years has spent minimally on the Butterfinger brand, which got about $9 million in measured-media support last year, compared with $82.2 million for Reese’s, according to Kantar Media.

The agency is Interpublic Group of Cos.’ Dailey of West Hollwood, Calif.