April 3, 2026
March Madness is a cultural tip-off. One where competition, connection and shared rituals collide, pulling people together from the first round to the final buzzer. At The Hershey Company, this is the ultimate opportunity to put our sweets and salty portfolio on the court. It's where fandom meets flavor, brackets bust, snack bowls refill and our brands show up ready to play. We're built for the energy, emotion and togetherness that define the madness of March.
Built for Cultural Moments
Consumer trends may shift, but cultural moments like March Madness are still a sure bet. They're when people gather to compete, celebrate, connect and snack together. Our ONE Hershey operating model helps us move at game speed: aligning teams and decisions so we show up with coordinated, high-impact execution.
ONE Hershey is about unlocking the full power of our portfolio. When brands and channels move in sync, we create experiences that resonate with consumers. March Madness is a clear proof point.
By connecting confection, salty snacks, and omnichannel engagement, we deliver a cohesive play across shelves and media, so what fans see and experience feels built for the moment.
Meeting Fans Where the Madness Lives
March Madness is one of the largest shared snacking moments of the year, fueled by friendly competition and time spent with family and friends. During the tournament, consumers naturally gravitate toward both sweet and salty snacks. That behavior reinforces the power of ONE Hershey and our ability to meet fans where they are through coordinated retail execution.
When sweet and salty are co-merchandised, we see meaningful lift with a 34% increase in confection and a 38% increase in salty. This proves that intentional retail execution creates a cohesive experience that feels intentional.
Instead of showing up brand-by-brand, Hershey executes as one, bringing sweet and salty together on shelf and in displays across retail to reflect how fans experience March Madness.
Different brands. One game plan. And a culture-first approach that wins where it counts. Here's the starting line-up:
- Reese's anchors the moment as an iconic fan favorite, tapping into the emotional highs and lows of the tournament, built around the idea that Every Bracket Busts for a Reese's. From early upsets to buzzer-beaters, Reese's plays off the shared language of the March Madness fandom, turning moments of disappointment into something fans can laugh about and snack through.
- Shaq-A-Licious SLAMS brings playful energy through an innovation designed for peak sports viewing. Built for shareability and fun, SLAMS adds a bold, unexpected twist to game-day snacking, showing up in ways that feel native to sports culture and resonate with highly engaged fans tuning in throughout the tournament.
- Dot's Original Snack Mix delivers on watch-party demand as a go-to salty staple. As fans host friends, watch on the go, or snack from the couch, Dot's meets the moment with this flavorful, easy-to-share option that naturally complements extended viewing and social occasions.
Always On. Always Relevant.
March Madness is one of many moments where Hershey's strategy comes to life with a mindset built to scale year-round. Our always-on portfolio-led approach ensures our brands show up authentically in the moments that matter most to our consumers.
As cultural moments continue to evolve, Hershey is ready to stay in the game and set the pace, running our proven modernized marketing playbook on different courts.
Check out game day recipes at Hersheyland.com.