Dessert brand Müller revives a ’90s craze, Magic Eye illusions, to bring back a ’90s product

Remember Magic Eye illusions? There’s a whole fascinating history of the optical illusion over at the AIGA’s Eye on Design site. At one point in the ’90s, Magic Eye seemed to be everywhere—as people stuggled to see the 3D shapes inside what appeared at first to be just a mess of colors. Now, U.K. brand Müller Yogurt & Desserts has engaged the Magic Eye originators in Boston for a campaign that has a retro flavor of its own—as they’re bringing back a ’90s retro fan-favorite product, Müller Corner Mississippi Mud Pie Inspired. Müller commissioned an authentic Magic Eye design, which reveals the retro flavor—at least, for those who can zen out, relax their vision and let the image come to them. (This was the advice that those who could decipher the Magic Eye designs usually gave, somewhat maddeningly, to those who couldn’t.) The illusion is running in out-of-home ads, and in social as 10- and 20-second films set to “Renegade Master” by A.D.O.R. vs. Britni Fraser. The illusion is below. Can you see the image lurking inside? (It took me a minute but I got there. Hint—you get to see the product launch date make out of the product itself.) It’s a bit of a gamble to build a campaign around images that are notoriously hard to decipher. So, they rolled out the campaign in stages—just the illusion at first, then the illusion with the product plastered on top. “This project has been a blast from the past from start to finish,” said Emma Houlston and Colin McKean, creative directors at VCCP London, which developed the work. “We’re buzzing to bring some ’90s-style wide-eyed good vibes to everyone who remembers Mississippi Mud Pie-Inspired Müller Corner and Magic Eye from first time round, while introducing them to a new generation. We can’t wait for people to see the work—or at least try to—hear the soundtrack, and taste the product. Because every bit is an absolute ’90s banger.” Consumer PR is being handled by Ogilvy PR, with media planned and executed by Essence Mediacom. “From fashion, footwear and summer film releases to Insta filters and TikTok trends, ’90s aesthetics are having a moment,” said Toby Bevans, strategy and marketing director at Müller Yogurt & Desserts. “Consumer research told us there was massive potential in dialing into our own ’90s heritage by bringing back one of our most-loved and sorely missed flavors, Müller Corner Mississippi Mud Pie Inspired. So now all those superfans who’ve been petitioning us for its return can at last get a taste of that ’90s icon.”

Dessert brand Müller revives a ’90s craze, Magic Eye illusions, to bring back a ’90s product

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