Hershey’s Undergoes A Brand Update As It Rethinks Paid, Earned And Owned Media

Recorded: Jan. 21, 2026, 11:03 p.m.

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Hershey’s Undergoes A Brand Update As It Rethinks Paid, Earned And Owned Media | AdExchanger

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Home Commerce Hershey’s Undergoes A Brand Update As It Rethinks Paid, Earned And Owned Media

Commerce
Hershey’s Undergoes A Brand Update As It Rethinks Paid, Earned And Owned Media By James Hercher

Wednesday, January 21st, 2026 – 1:40 pm
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The Hershey Company requires practically no advertising.
The brand sits right at the warm, gooey center of everyone’s subconscious. That’s how Hershey’s bars can sell on American store shelves for 125 years, in the same boring candy bar wrapper – dull gray letters on a field of brown – without much emphasis on paid media at all.
So when Hershey’s takes the rare step of overhauling its brand marketing creative and communications platform, it is news. And this Wednesday marks the beginning of Hershey’s first major brand marketing campaign since 2018, VP of consumer connection Vinny Rinaldi told AdExchanger.

“It’s a big refresh,” he said.
Why now?
By going such a long time between major brand updates or creative production, Hershey’s has shown the chocolate bar hardly needs a refresh.
So why bother?
For one thing, even for a brand like Hershey’s, “you still have to market it,” Rinaldi responded. There is constant testing and churn in the candy category, he said, “and you’ve got to make sure that you’re constantly at the top of consumers’ minds.”
And if ever there was a time to market, it’s 2026. The Hershey Company is a 2026 US Olympic team sponsor, on top of the company’s annual sports sponsorships, like NCAA’s March Madness tournament. Then there’s a big 250-year anniversary for the United States coming up this summer, right in the heart of s’more season (which is a thing when you sell Hershey bars). And later this year, “Hershey,” a film co-produced by the company, will be released.
During the video interview with AdExchanger, Rinaldi briefly flashed on-screen a large, calendar printout covered by an insanely dense, color-coded patchwork layout for the year’s marketing plan.
It was very intimidating.

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“There is no bigger moment than this to pressure-test this new world of advertising,” he said.
The owned, earned, paid convergence
Aside from the major sports sponsorships and the particulars of the crowded US calendar this year, there is also a change happening within Hershey and the media, Rinaldi said.
“We’re looking at much more interconnected systems between earned, shared and owned [media], and bringing content to the forefront,” he said.
Content, in this case, includes an actual movie with recognizable Hollywood talent and director Mark Water (who directed “Freaky Friday,” “Mean Girls” and other non-Lindsay Lohan stuff). In addition to being co-produced by the company, the concept for the film was conceived by Hershey brand marketers.
Overall, the Hershey Company is upping its Hershey’s brand budget by 20% in 2026, per The Wall Street Journal. The company spent $600 million on marketing in total in 2024 (though that includes Hershey-owned candy brands like Reese’s, Twizzlers, Kit Kat, etc.).
That marketing budget growth includes everything from the expansion of retail media to its Olympic team sponsorship to theatrical release ads when the movie comes out.
Running the typical attribution and optimization seems somewhat futile when it comes to a Team USA sponsorship or a multimillion-dollar cinematic promotional campaign.
But Hershey’s is doing it, Rinaldi said. The company has a media mix model that’s refined on a decade of Olympic and other major sport sponsorships after all.
Also, not everything is about paid media, he says. The Hershey Company has its own retail locations, including in New York City, Las Vegas and Niagara Falls. The company has a theme park and resorts business, too. And all of these locations will have Olympics rings “front and center,” he says.
The Olympics relationship is part of its merchandizing in stores and a big part of how Hershey’s will communicate and sell to retailers, he says.
“On average, the contribution to the business advertising holds is roughly 20%,” according to Rinaldi. “So, you think about it, there’s still an 80% opportunity to grow in different ways.”

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The Hershey Company is undertaking a significant brand refresh, marking its first major overhaul since 2018, driven by a recognition that sustained marketing efforts are crucial even for a seemingly established brand like Hershey’s. According to VP of Consumer Connection, Vinny Rinaldi, this represents a “big refresh” and underscores the necessity of ongoing engagement in the competitive candy category.

Several key factors are contributing to this shift. Primarily, Hershey’s acknowledges a prolonged period – approximately eight years – without substantial brand updates, necessitating a renewed focus. The company’s significant sponsorship commitments, including its ongoing partnership with the 2026 US Olympic team and broader sports sponsorships like March Madness, alongside upcoming events such as the 250-year anniversary of the United States and the release of the film “Hershey,” create a dense and demanding marketing calendar.

The brand’s overall marketing budget is slated to increase by 20% in 2026, reaching approximately $600 million – a figure encompassing retail media expansion, Olympic sponsorships, and the theatrical release campaign for the film. Hershey’s is actively refining its media mix model, developed over a decade of Olympic sponsorships, to optimize allocation of resources across various campaigns.

Furthermore, Hershey’s strategy emphasizes a more interconnected approach to earned, shared, and owned media. This includes leveraging the star power of directors like Mark Water (known for films like “Freaky Friday” and “Mean Girls”) in the upcoming movie “Hershey,” integrating this content into broader marketing communications, and strategically utilising its physical retail presence, including locations in cities like New York, Las Vegas, and Niagara Falls, alongside its theme parks and resorts. The company highlights that the contribution from its advertising – roughly 20% – represents a significant untapped opportunity for growth.

Hershey’s approach extends beyond traditional paid media. The brand recognizes the need to leverage its extensive retail network, especially as retail media continues to expand. Rinaldi stresses that despite a substantial marketing investment, there remains a critical opportunity to diversify tactics and maximize engagement. The shift speaks to a broader industry trend: brands increasingly recognizing the importance of a holistic, connected marketing strategy that incorporates multiple channels and leverages brand assets across diverse touchpoints.