Twitter Blames 2020 For Hershey’s New Kisses TV Ad Flop

Hershey’s (HSY) long-running Kisses ad has received a holiday update, but the backlash to the new ad has many just giving up on 2020 altogether.

For the last 31 years, Pennsylvania-based Hershey’s has aired its Kisses as bells ad, playing the “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” tune – an iconic commercial that is synonymous with the holidays for many. But the chocolate maker decided that this year it would give the ad a twist by adding in human actors while still highlighting its beloved Kisses chocolate candies.

New for 2020, the “Bells to Blossoms” ad features the Kisses playing out the “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” tune as always, but a child’s hand appears in the screen grabbing a Kiss. Next, a father and daughter are shown smiling as they use the Kisses to top their peanut-butter blossom Christmas cookies – all the while “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” continues to play in the background on brass instruments instead on the Kisses bells.

The screen is then superimposed with the words “Heartwarming the holidays.”

While the ad may be innocent enough, the change was too much for Twitter to take. Some said Hershey’s ruined what was one of their favorite commercials of the holidays.

One Twitter user blamed the commercial change on the uncertainty and challenges that 2020 has brought throughout the entire year.

Others wondered if the change was really necessary?

Yet another said it just wasn’t Christmas without the original Kisses commercial from Hershey’s.

And another agreed that 2020 was not the year to make a change to a commercial that so many people loved.

Hershey’s responded to the criticism on Twitter and said in a statement to Today Food that it “made the decision to make a slight update to the original that kept the opening holiday melodies and incorporated another holiday tradition, baking — melding together these two time-honored traditions. From playing the bells to baking peanut butter blossoms, it’s Hershey's Kisses that have stood the test of time.

"For viewers who love our original – don’t worry, we’ll be running both holiday ads this season," Hershey's continued. "Keep your eyes peeled for our classic and iconic Bells spot as well as the newest 'Bells to Blossoms.'"

Despite the criticism that Hershey’s received, some users on Twitter loved the ad and the memories it evoked, especially the holiday cookie making.

Shares of Hershey's were trading at $149.04 on Wednesday as of 12:41 p.m. ET, down 99 cents, or 0.66%.