Pringles Champions the Can-Handed Heroes at Cocktail Hours and House Parties

Pringles has made an untold number of ravenous snackers feel seen with its Super Bowl ads that depict people getting their hands stuck in its cylindrical cans. 

Since 2022, the brand has poked fun at the predicament caused by its biggest design flaw. As seen in its latest Super Bowl commercial, even singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor can’t resist the trap of the canned chips.

It turns out this snacking situation is globally relatable, too. Pringles’ new campaign illustrates the “Can Hands” phenomenon in quintessentially European scenarios, from an Apéro to a German house party.

The first ad—made for France, Spain, Portugal and Italy—takes place during Apéro, the period before dinner when people enjoy an aperitif and snacks. As a hostess prepares a spread of charcuterie and Pringles, she unwittingly gets her hand stuck down the tube. 

But why should that ruin the evening? Thinking on her feet, the hostess uses her “can hand” to stir a pitcher of cocktails, break up an ice block, serve canapes and even curl a guest’s hair. 

Another spot, which will run in Northern European markets such as Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden, takes place at a house party where a young man experiences “can hand” next to the dance floor. Embarrassed, he escapes to a quiet room–but finds he’s not the only one in this awkward situation.

A final ad for the U.K. and Ireland is a remake of Pringles’ 2022 Super Bowl spot, from agency Grey New York, in which a young man at a party makes his unexpected “can hand” part of the fun. 

Grey London created the new ads, while lauded commercial director Ulf Johansson directed them through production company Smith & Jones.  

Facing the challenge of adapting a hit for other countries, Pringles decided “to showcase [the concept] in intrinsically European settings,” according to Dave Wigglesworth, executive creative director at Grey London.

The zaniness of the narratives is also in line with Pringles’ playful personality (you may recall the musical hamster mascot in a campaign earlier this year for its Multigrain range). 

“We think Pringles fans across Europe will be able to relate to this campaign and hopefully it will give them a laugh,” European marketing director Stéphanie Thys said in a statement. 

CREDITS:

Agency: Grey London
Executive Creative Director: David Wigglesworth
Creative Director: Jesse Little
Creative Teams: Katie Bird and Caitlin Horrex, Gnome Taylor, Flora German & Shivani Patel
Planning Partner: Matthew Gladstone
Strategy Director: Gilliam Caldwell-Dunn
Managing Partner: Agi Varanyi
Group Business Director: Tamsine Foggin
Account Directors: Jack Barber, Alice Ashwell
Account Manager: Hugo Soer
Account Executive: Madeleine Hine
Executive Producer: Nazneen Read
Senior Producers: Michelle Kasper, Sam Dowling
Assistant Producer: Alicia Cordell
Production Company: Smith & Jones
Production Company Executive Producer: Phillipa Smith
Director: Ulf Johansson
D.O.P: Barry Ackroyd
Production Design: Steve Smithwick
Post Producers: Ella Sedgewick @Whitehouse Post
Alexia Paterson @Framestore for Apero and Nights In Northern Europe
Annika Gustavsson @GPS Nights In (UK and ROI)
Editor: Sam Gunn @Whitehouse Post for Apero & Nights In Northern Europe
Tony Whetnall @GPS Nights In (UK and ROI)
Colorist: Jean-Clément Soret @Company 3 for Apero and Nights In Northern Europe
Matt Hare @GPS Nights In (UK and ROI)
VFX Artist: Paul O’Brien @Framestore for Apero and Nights In Northern Europe
Chris Winters, Ozgur Yigit & Matt Ingram @GPS Nights In (UK and ROI)
Composer: Julia Jonas / Sauvage / Heslop, Frieder Dose / Marvin Benjamin McMahon for Apero 
Frieder Does Marvin Benjamin McMahon for Nights In Northern Europe
Trevor Simpson @BMG Production Music Nights In (UK and ROI)
Music Supervisor: Macke Bergkvist @Music Supercircus for Apero and Nights In Northern Europe
Sound Engineer: Parv Thind @WAVE for Apero
Gritz @GPS for Nights In Northern Europe
Sam Cross @GPS for Nights In (UK and ROI)
Post Sound Producer: Beth Tomblin @Wave for Apero 
Richard Donaghue @GPS Nights In Northern Europe and Nights In (UK & ROI)