You’re standing in a gas station. You’re staring at a candy bar. It’s a Twix. But suddenly, you’re not just thinking about caramel and shortbread; you’re thinking about a fictional civil war between two identical sticks of chocolate. That’s the power of the left twix right twix commercial series. It’s weird. It’s basically a lie. And it’s one of the most successful "de-positioning" strategies in the history of snack foods.
Mars, Incorporated didn't just stumble into this. They needed a way to make a decades-old candy bar feel new again without actually changing the recipe. So, they invented a feud.
The Origin Story That Never Happened
Back in 2012, at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, the world got its first taste of the "Pick a Side" campaign. Developed by the ad agency BBDO New York, the premise was beautifully stupid. The legend goes that Victorian-era inventors Seamus and Earl had a falling out over how to manufacture the bar. One preferred cascading chocolate; the other insisted on flowing chocolate. One wanted the caramel draped; the other wanted it layered.
The brothers literally split the factory in two. They built a wall. They stopped speaking.
This wasn't just a funny 30-second spot. It was a total brand overhaul. They changed the packaging. They separated the bars into individual "Left" and "Right" packs, even though—and let's be honest here—they are exactly the same thing. The brilliance lies in the commitment to the bit. If you look at the wrapper of a "Left" Twix, the text describes it with specific adjectives that differ slightly from the "Right" version.
It’s psychological trickery. It’s also hilarious.
Why the Left Twix Right Twix Commercial Worked (When Others Failed)
Most brands try to tell you why they are better than the competition. Twix decided to compete with itself. This is what marketers call "artificial differentiation." By creating two camps, Mars forced consumers to make a choice. And when a consumer chooses a side, they are engaging with the brand on a much deeper level than if they just grabbed a Snickers.
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Think about it.
You’re in the checkout line. You see a pack that says "Left Twix." You remember the ad where the factory workers have two different doors. You chuckle. You buy it. You've just been marketed to, and you liked it.
The Specific Ads That Stuck
There were dozens of variations. One of my personal favorites involves the "Left" factory and "Right" factory being separated by a single inch of space, with the employees glaring at each other through the gap. They used different voices, different music cues, and even different "scientific" processes for the chocolate.
- The Left Twix: Caramel is flowed onto the cookie.
- The Right Twix: Caramel is cascaded onto the cookie.
Wait. Is there a difference? No. "Flowed" and "cascaded" are synonyms. That's the joke. It’s a satire of corporate jargon and the way brands try to sound sophisticated about what is, essentially, mass-produced sugar.
Another standout was the "Hidden Video" style spots. They looked like grainy security footage or "leaked" internal memos. This gave the campaign a transmedia feel. It wasn't just on your TV; it was on YouTube, it was on social media, and it was on the physical shelf in your local 7-Eleven.
The Business Logic Behind the Absurdity
Mars didn't do this just for laughs. They did it because the confectionery market is brutal. In the early 2010s, growth in the chocolate category was sluggish. You can't really "innovate" a Twix without ruining it. If you change the biscuit, people get mad. If you change the chocolate, it tastes cheap.
The "Pick a Side" campaign provided "innovation" without "alteration."
It gave the sales team a reason to ask for more shelf space. Suddenly, a store wasn't just carrying "Twix." They were carrying "Left Twix" and "Right Twix" and "Variety Packs." It's a classic land grab in the retail world. More SKUs (Stock Keeping Units) equals more eye-level real estate.
Does It Actually Taste Different?
Let's address the elephant in the room. Or the cookie in the factory.
Some people swear they can tell. They’ll tell you the Right Twix is crunchier. They’ll claim the Left Twix has a more velvety caramel. They are wrong. Scientifically, physically, and legally, they are the same product.
However, the left twix right twix commercial actually created a "placebo effect." When you tell a human brain that two things are different, the brain works overtime to find evidence for that difference. It’s the same reason wine tastes better when you’re told the bottle cost $100 instead of $10.
The Cultural Impact and Longevity
Usually, a commercial campaign lasts a year or two. This one has survived for over a decade in various forms. Why? Because it’s a "low-stakes" conflict. In a world full of actual, stressful polarization, arguing about chocolate is a relief. It’s a safe way to be part of a "tribe."
It also invited user-generated content before that was even a buzzword. People started making their own videos. "Testing" the bars. Melting them down to see if the cookie structure was different. It became a meme.
The "All Sides" Twist
Eventually, Mars leaned even further into the madness. They introduced "De-cloaked" Twix (without chocolate) and "Xtra" versions. But they always came back to the central rivalry. They even did a "Halloween" version where the conflict took on a spooky theme.
The campaign succeeded because it never winked at the camera. It treated the "Great Split" with the solemnity of a historical documentary. That "straight man" delivery is what makes the comedy land. If they had admitted it was a joke, the magic would have evaporated.
Lessons for Modern Branding
If you're looking at this from a business perspective, there are three major takeaways:
- Conflict creates engagement. You don't need an external enemy if you can create an internal one that’s entertaining.
- Commitment is everything. If Twix had only done one ad, we wouldn't be talking about it. They changed their entire supply chain packaging to match the story.
- Simplicity scales. "Left vs. Right" is a concept a five-year-old can understand and a fifty-year-old can find funny.
The left twix right twix commercial proves that you don't need a new product to have a new conversation. You just need a better story.
What to Look for Next Time You Buy
Next time you're at the store, grab one of each. Look at the labels. Check the "manufacturing" descriptions. You’ll see the subtle differences in the copy—the way they describe the "cloaking" or "drenching" of the chocolate.
It’s a reminder that marketing isn't just about selling a product; it’s about selling a perspective. Or in this case, two perspectives that are exactly the same.
Actionable Insights for Brand Strategy
- Identify your "un-sellable" traits. Twix knew they couldn't change the flavor, so they sold the packaging of the flavor.
- Create a binary choice. Whenever possible, give your customers a "this or that" scenario within your own ecosystem to keep them from looking at competitors.
- Use synonymous language. Experiment with how different words (like "cascading" vs. "flowing") change the perceived value of your service or product.
- Audit your shelf presence. See if there is a way to "split" your existing product line to claim more physical or digital space without increasing production costs.