Have you ever done something so cringey, you wish you could immediately forget it ever happened? In its latest ad campaign, Goldfish plays on the theory that real goldfish have almost no long-term memory, encouraging consumers to leave past mistakes behind them by enjoying its iconic cheesy crackers.

About the campaign

Made in partnership with creative agency Mischief @ No Fixed Address, the campaign includes two video ads featuring Saturday Night Live actor Ben Marshall, whose red locks and derpy personality seem to “resemble” those of a goldfish. When asked about his involvement in the campaign, Marshall stated,

“As someone with bright orange hair and a short attention span, I felt uniquely qualified to ‘Be Like Goldfish,’ which is all about smiling through everyday missteps and staying positive. Also, if there were a competition to find the human who most resembles a Goldfish, I’d easily rank top 100 in the continental United States.”

Targeting adult consumers, both 15-second ads feature all-too-common internet faux pas. In the first commercial, Marshall finds himself in an embarrassing situation when his search history of “cool outfits to wear with shark tooth necklace” is seen by his friend. But, no sooner has this information been revealed than Marshall turns to his favorite snack, Goldfish, which helps him forget his embarrassment. The ad ends with a voiceover that states: “Goldfish have short memories. Be like goldfish.” The second spot shows Marshall accidentally signing off a video call with his boss with a heartfelt: “I love you!” and resolving his embarrassment with the same salty solution.

A different approach

With these new ads, Goldfish is taking a step away from its past campaigns of quirky jingles and cringey animations, while still maintaining the cheesiness factor – and by partnering with a popular SNL actor, the brand is making its snacks more culturally relevant to adult consumers. But this isn’t the first time Goldfish has targeted adults in its advertising; last year, the brand temporarily renamed its original crackers “Chilean Sea Bass,” to make grown-ups feel less childish by eating them.