Hornet reimagines 5 Gum’s cult campaign for a new generation

Hornet, in collaboration with Energy BBDO and Mars Wrigley, has created a new animated campaign for 5 Gum, reimagining the brand’s iconic late-2000s platform for today’s hyper-digital audience. 

Directed by Hornet’s Jay and Jin, the series features four animated films and a collection of internet-native memes that blend sci-fi influence, architectural world-building, and surreal humour.

The new work carries forward the original campaign’s cinematic ambition while offering a contemporary interpretation shaped by internet culture and rapid content consumption.

Two standout sequences highlight the modernised creative approach. A full watermelon civilisation rises and collapses in seconds, revealing miniature architectural structures and dense environmental detail. Another film pulls a traveler through a desert whirlpool before he reemerges as a pitcher plant being watered by a confused alien, surrounded by hidden narrative elements designed for fast-scrolling audiences. These surreal moments extend the playful chaos and visual intensity that defined the original campaign.

Jay and Jin reflect on both the legacy and the challenge of revisiting the platform. “The original campaign’s worldbuilding was so much cooler than what people expected from a gum commercial. It had the right amount of edge to make the phrase ‘How it feels to chew 5 Gum’ stick in internet culture. It holds a special place for everyone who grew up with it. This time, much of the audience was born after the original campaign aired.”

They add, “Today’s audience has no built-in nostalgia and a significantly higher bar for internet weirdness, so we had to meet them where they are now. That meant tuning into how they consume content, how quickly their attention moves, and what truly makes them laugh.”

The campaign is rolling out across TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat, and will appear on major streaming platforms including Netflix, YouTube Select, and Disney.