Welcome back to Day 3 of our week-long Snickers coverage where today we’ll be journeying to the other side of the globe to take a look at a series of Russian Snickers bar wrappers released just this year. Make the jump to check them out!
As with the first two entries in CollectingCandy.com’s Snickers week, I’m going to lead off our Russian entry with a television spot from their “You’re Not Yourself When You’re Hungry” campaign – this one featuring actor Mickey Rourke:
That’s a great Russian Snickers commercial, and I’ve got some great Russian Snickers wrappers to share today. However, unlike the USA and Mexico wrappers already shown this week, the Russian versions do things a little differently and aren’t as direct an extension of that television campaign.
These wrappers still replace the Snickers logo with a different word/phrase, but rather than present a negative trait or quality associated with hunger, they appear to take the opposite approach by offering what is possible after having a Snickers bar. So each logo phrase or word makes sense (or nearly makes sense) in context when prefaced by “Eat a Snickers and…” There is certainly something lost in the translation as you’ll see, but I feel like we present as close to the intended meaning as is possible.
I should also note that beyond the logo replacement, these wrappers sport a contest/sweepstakes and marking of an anniversary. 2016 marks 25 years that Mars (and by extension, Snickers) has been in Russia so the call-out brings attention to the idea that Snickers are still great (and the same) after 25 years – and that there is a contest for 250,000 rubles “every week”. [Note: Previously on CollectingCandy.com, I covered Mars Russia’s 20th Anniversary wrappers.]
Special thank-you goes out to Oksana Israilova for her clutch translation work and helping me make sense of these wrappers.
As has been the case so far this week, the wrappers I’m showing today come in two different sizes. Unlike the rest of the week, the phrases do not appear to repeat between standard and “super” size. Each one is different, so between the nine regular and nine “super” size wrappers we end up with eighteen different phrases. Now let’s get to them!
Russia – Mars – Snickers – 25 Years – цепляет – Catchy/Catches – 50,5 r chocolate candy bar wrapper – 2016
Now, I’m not entirely sure that all of these wrappers’ logo translations exactly make sense, even when put in the context of the preface of “Eat a Snickers and…” That first one would be “Eat a Snickers and catches.” This next one would be “Eat a Snickers and accelerate.” which sort of makes sense. For the rest, I’ll let you play the game and see if it works or if it doesn’t. 🙂
Russia – Mars – Snickers – 25 Years – ускоряет – Accelerates – 50,5 r chocolate candy bar wrapper – 2016
Russia – Mars – Snickers – 25 Years – тусит – Hangs out (party) – 50,5 r chocolate candy bar wrapper – 2016
Russia – Mars – Snickers – 25 Years – стартует – Starts – 50,5 r chocolate candy bar wrapper – 2016
Russia – Mars – Snickers – 25 Years – работает – Working – 50,5 r chocolate candy bar wrapper – 2016
Russia – Mars – Snickers – 25 Years – кауает – Shakes – 50,5 r chocolate candy bar wrapper – 2016
Russia – Mars – Snickers – 25 Years – заводит – Turns – 50,5 r chocolate candy bar wrapper – 2016
Russia – Mars – Snickers – 25 Years – держит – Keeps/Holds – 50,5 r chocolate candy bar wrapper – 2016
Russia – Mars – Snickers – 25 Years – двигает – Moves – 50,5 r chocolate candy bar wrapper – 2016
Now here are the Snickers “Super” size wrappers:
Russia – Mars – Snickers Super – 25 Years – въезжает – Enters/Moves In – 95 r chocolate candy bar wrapper – 2016
Russia – Mars – Snickers Super – 25 Years – выигрывает – Wins/Scores – 95 r chocolate candy bar wrapper – 2016
Russia – Mars – Snickers Super – 25 Years – магнитит – Magnets/Pulls In – 95 r chocolate candy bar wrapper – 2016
Russia – Mars – Snickers Super – 25 Years – не тормозит – Without Brakes/No Stop – 95 r chocolate candy bar wrapper – 2016
Russia – Mars – Snickers Super – 25 Years – оживляет – Revives/Animates – 95 r chocolate candy bar wrapper – 2016
Russia – Mars – Snickers Super – 25 Years – отрывается – Tears/Tears Apart or Rips Off – 95 r chocolate candy bar wrapper – 2016
Russia – Mars – Snickers Super – 25 Years – пробирает – Chills – 95 r chocolate candy bar wrapper – 2016
Russia – Mars – Snickers Super – 25 Years – РАЗГОНЯЕТ – Accelerates/Disperses – 95 r chocolate candy bar wrapper – 2016
Russia – Mars – Snickers Super – 25 Years – разруливает – Rules Out/Resolves – 95 r chocolate candy bar wrapper – 2016
That’s it – all eighteen of the Russian Snickers wrappers I have to showcase today. Even after the translation work, they remain the most puzzling of the Snickers Week offerings, but I hope that I’ve brought some semblance of meaning and context to them for you as I have for myself. In any case, my fascination with Russia and appreciation for their take on confectionery packaging continues.
And that’s everything for Day 3 of our Snickers Week coverage. See you next time!
This post has been a part of CollectingCandy.com’s five-part Snickers Week (originally published November 28th-December 2nd in 2016) dedicated to the various “You’re Not Yourself When You’re Hungry” inspired Snickers bar wrappers from around the world – be sure to check out the rest of the week’s entries!
