Sometimes the best advertising starts with a simple question. In this case: What if EXTRA Gum literally inspired “extra time?” That’s the wonderfully ridiculous premise behind BBDO Chicago’s latest campaign for Extra Gum, “The Birth of Extra Time,” our Reel Ad of the Week.
The spot transports viewers to the late 1800s, where a flustered referee struggles to name the newly added minutes at the end of a soccer match. As players toss out increasingly unhelpful suggestions, the brand’s gum-chewing mascot, Chewbert, steps in with the obvious answer: Extra Time.
It’s an intentionally fictional bit of sports history, but that’s what makes it work. Rather than forcing the brand into soccer culture, BBDO builds an entertaining origin myth around a phrase the sport has used for generations.
The campaign also expands Extra’s new “Chew into It” platform, which celebrates the moments that naturally command our full attention. Whether it’s studying, spending time with friends or watching a match enter extra time, the brand positions chewing gum as a small ritual that helps people stay present.
Visually, the spot embraces the period setting with cinematic production design, crisp comedic timing and understated performances that keep the joke grounded. The payoff lands because everyone treats the absurd premise with complete sincerity. Watch below:
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“When we realized ‘extra time’ had our brand name in it, it was a no-brainer to craft a story around how this all came to be,” said Cassidy Buzin, Group Creative Director at BBDO Chicago. “It was fun to tell a tall tale about how the ritual of reaching for a piece of Extra gum in a high-pressure moment came to be and how that collective experience holds true, no matter the era.”
The creative follows the launch of the Extra Time Anthem featuring Izzy Escobar and aired during the final of this summer’s biggest international soccer tournament, making the creative feel especially timely.
The result is a campaign that doesn’t just borrow from soccer culture. It cleverly rewrites it.
CREDITS:
BRAND: EXTRA Gum
- Ashley Gill, Vice President
AGENCY: BBDO Chicago
- Cassidy Buzin, Group Creative Director
