Special Auckland Celebrates Penguin 'Pebbling' for Bluebird

Bluebird is diving into the world of sharing the love with its latest campaign, inspired by the adorable “pebbling” rituals of Adélie penguins – the Bluebird mascot.

In nature, these charming birds gift pebbles to their partners as a heartfelt symbol of affection – and now Bluebird is reimagining this sweet gesture to celebrate how Kiwis show love by sharing their favourite snack.

The campaign lives online through digital media placement and social, supported by OOH. The centrepiece is a 30” film set to the nostalgic track of Hall & Oates' 80s hit “You Make My Dreams Come True.” The heartwarming concept is brought to life through split-screen storytelling, following penguins and a human couple as they emulate the act of ‘pebbling’ with a bag of Bluebird.

Bluebird marketing manager Catherine McLaren says, “For over 70 years, Bluebird has been synonymous with sharing joy, and the Adélie penguin is a recognised symbol of this. Part of why we love working with Special is their ability to weave together these two brand truths through a mutual behaviour in an impactful and heartwarming way.”

Special led the strategy, creative ideation and production with Jamie Lawrence and Scoundrel. OMD led media planning, buying and implementation across digital, social, and OOH.

Jonathan McMahon, chief creative officer at Special, said, “Pebbling has been quite the thing this year, so it seemed apt that this sweet act of sharing that comes from the penguin, Bluebird’s mascot, crosses over into the world of chips. Jamie Lawrence did a lovely job to bring this spot to life and we hope it encourages even more sharing. Of chips, not pebbles.”

This marks the agency’s first campaign for the Bluebird brand after winning PepsiCo’s snacking category in late 2023, which also includes Copper Kettle and Delisio.