Chupa Chups recently launched an “impossible-to-open” lollipop pack that is blade-proof, fireproof, and capable of withstanding 1000kg before it cracks. Design agency BBH London tells us more about the campaign – and what it reveals about the effect social media has on how consumers interact with packaging.
First things first, please could you give readers who may have missed it a quick overview of this campaign?
Chupa Chups is the world’s most famous lollipop. But if we’re being honest, it’s also famously hard to open. Do a quick search online and you’ll find thousands of people complaining about their futile attempts to open one. It’s become a bit of a running joke. So, to launch our new easier-to-open lollipop, we decided to have a little fun and lean into the joke - by hiding it inside our hardest to open wrapper ever.
What exactly is the “impossible” packaging made from, and could you give us some insights into the R&D/development process?
We don’t like to do things by halves, so we engaged the services of a company called Atlas Composites. They make precision engineered components for satellites, fighter jets, F1 racing cars, and now lollipops. There are many industrial-strength layers inside the Chupa Chups Impossible but at its heart is a carbon composite clamshell that locks around the lollipop to keep it fresh.
Around that, we wove aramid fibres to blunt blades and prevent cutting. Then we coated it with silicon carbide to provide thermal protection. The silicon carbide also makes it incredibly tough to crack open (it’s basically industrial diamonds). And finally, we dipped it in liquid rubber to provide impact absorption.
Every layer was tested and tweaked to make sure it was as impenetrable as possible. Once we were happy, we submitted the lollipop to a series of “destruction tests”, involving angle grinders, sledgehammers, handsaws, an acetylene torch and a hydraulic press.
How did social media inform the planning of this campaign, and more broadly – what effect do you think social media is currently having on packaging redesigns in general?
Social media is where people go to complain about Chupa Chups wrappers so that’s where we launched the campaign. We replied to over a thousand posts across TikTok, Instagram, X and Reddit to share the good (and bad) news: It was time to meet the final boss of Chupa Chups.
Then we sent the Chupa Chups Impossible to a range of content creators around the world, challenging them to get inside and reveal the new easier-to-open wrapper.
For Chupa Chups, social media is a really important channel. It’s where our audience spends a lot of time and where they go for entertainment. It’s also the perfect platform for a fun, noisy, participatory challenge.
The ultimate goal of this campaign is to launch Chupa Chups’ new easier-to-open lollipop pack. Why did the company decide to redesign its packaging in this way?
Chupa Chups has always taken care to ensure their wrappers meet high standards for food safety and product protection. Making changes to something so important takes time: they needed to test thoroughly and make sure any updates still kept the lollipop fresh, sealed, and safe from external elements.
At the same time, we’ve been listening to feedback from fans and working behind the scenes to improve the experience. The new wrapper is the result of that process, and we’re excited to share it.
While we can’t reveal the full recipe for our wrapper magic - that part’s a closely guarded company secret - we can say it’s all about making that unwrapping moment feel smoother, while still keeping the lollipop sealed, protected, and food safe.
How has the campaign performed so far, and are there any interesting learnings you can share wit
The campaign is still rolling out globally, but so far the results have been overwhelming.
Our audience has engaged and interacted with the campaign by the millions. They’ve created their own memes and reaction videos, and begged for the chance to buy one. The campaign has generated tens of thousands of comments, millions of likes and over 1 billion impressions across 53 markets. It’s received more than 180 pieces of coverage, including features in youth culture publications such as Complex, Hypebeast and Dexerto.
Most importantly, we also dramatically shifted sentiment. Compared to a year ago, negative sentiment around the wrapper dropped 39 percentage points (from 47% to 8%), while positive sentiment soared 50 percentage points (from 27% to 77%).
I think it goes to show the value of listening to your community, and also not taking yourself too seriously. Chupa Chups could have quietly fixed their packaging issue and pretended it was never a problem. Instead, they were brave enough to take the opposite approach.
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