Mentos doubles down on classic cola experiment

Many people’s first truly formative experience of learning about science didn’t come from a textbook. Instead, it involved pairing a Mentos mint with cola and watching an explosive chemical reaction unfold.

The classic experiment has formed the basis of a new tactical item called a Fizzooka (a riff on a bazooka) in Fortnite Creative, Fornite’s spin-off platform allowing other creators to build and publish their own independent experiences.

Devised as part of a campaign by BBH London and developed with the help of metaverse-focused creative studio Metavision and Beyond Creative, the Fizzooka can wash away other players as well as environmental structures like in-game buildings. The item will be dropped into a handful of popular maps in Fortnite Creative over the next two weeks.

The Fizzooka is being brought to life in the physical world in the form of 30 functioning replicas created by BBH and We Make Stuff Happen, which are being distributed to a group of influencers around the world. With a cola bottle strapped to the front, the aesthetic of the object – which measures over a metre long – is purposefully lo-fi to channel the DIY spirit of the original experiment.

The challenge of building a Fizzooka was also put to the team at The Hacksmith, a YouTube content channel known for engineering working replicas of items seen in films, TV shows and games, like Star Wars Lightsabers.

The campaign is rolling out across other formats such as OOH and social media, which will also feature a new visual identity by BBH that references the rounded shape of Mentos.

“Mentos is all about refreshing the everyday,” says Hugues Leydier at Mentos, “so what could be better than refreshing the original Mentos and cola experiment and shaking up the world of gaming at the same time.”

Credits:
Agency: BBH London
CCO: Alex Grieve
ECD: Felipe Guimaraes
Creative Directors: Stu Royall, Phil Holbrook
Creatives: Lawrence Bushell, Luke Till
Designer: Liam Thomas