Snickers brings back ‘hungerithm to combat internet hanger’

For the second year in a row and just in time for the holidays, Snickers is bringing back its ‘Hungerithm,’ a tool that monitors the mood of the internet.

When consumers drop hints of hunger online, the coupon discount of Snickers increases at participating US 7-Eleven stores in real time.

Josh Olken, Snickers brand director, explains: “The holidays can be a stressful time for everyone, and the internet reflects the mood of the season. ’Hungerithm’ offers a fun way to navigate this time of year with Snickers, offering that moment of satisfaction when you need it most​.”

To track the mood of the internet, as well as lock in the price of a Snickers bar that can be redeemed in the form of a coupon at participating 7-Eleven stores, fans can visit Hungerithm.com​. In-store signage explains the program to shoppers. The ‘Hungerithm’ promotion began this month and will be live through 11:59 pm EST on December 31.

Originally piloted in Australian 7-Eleven stores to critical acclaim, ‘Hungerithm’ was developed by Clemenger BBDO Melbourne under the “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry​” campaign. The algorithm checks social media posts in real time against a list of 3,000+ commonly used words and phrases to determine sentiment and capture a snapshot of how people are feeling. It even understands slang and sarcasm. As ‘hanger’ goes up, the coupon value goes up, too.