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The Hershey Company has found a new way to interact with its Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup fan base.
The American chocolate company’s marketing team has begun an interactive online campaign for a fictional Reese’s University, which has a branded website, Instagram page and a TikTok page that appears to be a work in progress.
In a press release issued on Wednesday, the 127-year-old chocolate manufacturer shared quotes from fantasy university staff, details about the university’s application process and 99.9% acceptance rate, confection-based curriculum, and athletics program.
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The Hershey Company built a fictional Reese's University that's based in the imaginary town of Round Ridge, Pennsylvania. Class lists for the fantasy university are in the sweet art and sciences. (The Hershey Company)
The fabricated release and website are complete with professional-grade photos and fully developed info sections that make Reese’s University look like the real deal. For example, there are photos of orange diploma covers, sports uniforms and students posing throughout the fictional campus.
"At REESE'S University, students come first. Chocolate and peanut butter come second. Or maybe they’re all tied for first. It’s very close," the website’s About Us section reads. "The point is that it takes a diverse set of great minds from across academic disciplines to continue creating chocolatey, peanut buttery awesomeness."
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Class lists for the fantasy university are in the sweet art and sciences, including a "Make the World Orange" drawing course, an advanced peanut butter ratios course, a linear ridge forces course and an introduction to cup structures course.
Hershey’s marketing team has begun an interactive online campaign for a fictional Reese’s University, which has a branded website, Instagram page and a TikTok page that appears to be a work in progress. (The Hershey Company)
Moreover, the university’s faux athletics team – the Fighting Cuppies – includes soccer, rowing and cheerleading. A marching band, mascot, legendary rock and fictional Reese’s Cup Day festival are said to exist, according to the website’s copy.
Under Reese’s University’s admissions section, there’s a newsletter signup that’s under the guise of a university application. The website claims there are 375 H.B. Reese’s Scholars, but it’s not immediately clear if it’s a part of the university’s lore.
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While Reese’s fans won’t actually be able to attend the university in real-life, the website’s school store tab says merchandise for Reese’s University will be "coming soon," sometime around January 2022.
Reese's University’s faux athletics team – the Fighting Cuppies – includes soccer, rowing and cheerleading. A marching band, mascot, legendary rock and fictional Reese’s Cup Day festival are said to exist, according to the website’s copy. (The Hershey Company)
Representatives at The Hershey Company did not immediately respond to FOX Business’ request for comment.
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| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HSY | THE HERSHEY CO. | 175.15 | +1.10 | +0.63% |
The Hershey Company invented a number of Reese's Peanut Butter Cup activities for its fictional university. (The Hershey Company)
The chocolate company’s marketing initiative seemingly builds on the peanut butter candy’s cult following. In November 2021, Hershey debuted a Thanksgiving pie that sold out the same day. A month before that, the company created a Reese’s pumpkin patch at Krochmal Farms, near Salem, Massachusetts, for Halloween. The 93-year-old peanut butter candy also has a seasonal line of Reese’s Trees and Reese’s eggs for Christmas and Easter.
Typically, fans have gotten their Reese’s merchandise fix at Hersheypark, Hershey’s Chocolate World locations, or licensed candy stores and retail partners.
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In the third quarter of 2021, The Hershey Company saw a 6.3% increase with consolidated net sales making more than $2.35 billion.