BBDO Chicago rolls out this“Total Overthink of the Head” campaign for Mars’ chewing gums Orbit, Extra, Freedent and Yida. The campaign is anchored in this film spoofing Bonnie Tyler’s hit song “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” Directed by Brian Billow of O Positive, the piece speaks directly to younger audiences and is rooted in the behavioral insight that Gen Z and young adults are increasingly caught in cycles of overthinking, amplified by pressures from school and online life.
The film depicts the newest generation of chewers spiraling through everyday situations, from classroom stress to obsessing over their crush and overthinking a text. ”Total Overthink of the Head’ moves beyond traditional product messaging to engage new audiences through cultural moments, leaning into a love of music and nostalgia to position gum chewing as a ritual that helps manage moments of mental spiral.
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Credits
Client Mars Brands Orbit, Extra, Freedent and Yida (OEFY) chewing gums Agency BBDO Chicago Jennifer Neumann, CEO; Josh Gross, chief creative officer; Daale Carter, global chief client experience officer; Robin Laurens, Jonathan Fussell, executive creative directors; Ze Baldin, Gabriel Barrea, Eli Terry, Mike Costello, creative directors; Peter McCormick, Caitlin Madlinger, associate creative directors; Erin Welsh, director of creative services, Larry Gies, Landi Day, chief strategy officers; Elizabeth Brown, group strategy director; Livi Carlton, sr. strategist; Lily McNamara, executive producer; Stefeni Tormanen, sr. producer; Alexandra Aikens, producer; Courtney Jenkins, executive music producer. Production O Positive Brian Billow, director; Ralph Laucella, Marc Grill, exec producers; Adriana Cebada Mora, line producer; Tobias Schliessler, DP; Jamie Vickers, production designer. Editorial Arcade Jeff Ferruzzo, editor; Sila Soyer, managing partner, exec producer, NY & LA; Fanny Cruz, exec producer, NY; Andrew Cravotta, sr. post producer; Alexey Novikov, assistant editor. Color JAMM Paul Yacono, colorist; Aldo Rosati, color assist; Emma Beren, color producer. VFX JAMM Mike Wigart, VFX supervisor; Patrick Dirks, comp lead; Patrick Ferguson ,Brady Doyle, Sean Cos, Caitlin Roth, comp artists; Cecilia Fletcher, 2D character animator; Jonathan Ficcadenti, Kasey Amato, design artists; Nathan McKenna, DMP artist; Brian Burke, lead CG artist; Ana Blanco, Goran Ognjanovic, Greg Mawicke, Ian Kent, Nico Sanghrajka, Shao Chen, Stefano Giorgetti, Yu Fujii, Elyse Dior, Ben Martin, CG artists; Stew Burris, lead animator; Taylor Muhoberac Pryor, Douglas Litos, animators; Anne-Marie DePauw, producer; Asher Edwards, exec producer. Music & Sound CAYA Music and Sound, cover parody, sound design and final mix; Ben Einziger, executive creative director; Kiki Einziger, exec producer. Song: “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” written by Jim Steinman, courtesy of Round Hill Music.
As navigation apps increasingly route drivers through residential neighborhoods and outdoor play declines, TRUE Hockey, a leading manufacturer of high-performance hockey equipment, is unveiling a new prototype designed to reclaim neighborhood streets for play.
Once a hub for children’s sports, residential streets have become high-traffic shortcuts due to “rat-running”—drivers bypassing main roads via navigation apps. This has made spontaneous outdoor play more difficult for children: a 2025 U.S. poll found that 1 in 10 young children play outside only once a week or less, and 40% of parents report safety concerns.
At the heart of the campaign is the Game On Ball, a first-of-its-kind technology concept designed to illustrate how neighborhoods can be protected from commuter through-traffic. While not intended for commercial sale, this prototype functions by signaling to routing algorithms that a street is in use, prompting navigation apps to redirect drivers back to main arteries.
U.S. Olympic gold medalist and Minnesota Frost forward Kelly Pannek is supporting the initiative. “Olympic gold started for me on the street in front of my house,” said Pannek. “Those pickup games sparked my love for hockey and taught me confidence, creativity and joy. You never know where play will lead you, and every kid deserves the chance to discover their passion safely, right outside their door. Especially when such a simple behavior change could make all the difference.”
The prototype is part of a broader campaign encouraging drivers to say “No thanks” when prompted by navigation apps offering slightly faster routes through residential areas.
TRUE Hockey in partnership with dentsu invite Americans to visit TrueGameOn.com to... Read More
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