In early 2025, Pringles launched a campaign that sent snack enthusiasts into a frenzy: a limited-edition “Mystery Flavour” housed in a striking silver can adorned with a yellow question mark block, inspired by the iconic Super Mario franchise. This enigmatic offering, introduced as part of a nostalgic collaboration with the beloved 40-year-old gaming series, invited fans to guess the flavour for a chance to win a trip to New York City.
The campaign, rooted in 90s gaming culture, sparked widespread speculation across social media platforms, with guesses ranging from pizza to spicy meatball. After months of anticipation, Pringles revealed the flavour in May 2025: Spicy Pickle. This article delves into the journey of the Pringles Mystery Flavour, exploring its origins, the social media storm it created, its connection to TikTok trends, consumer reactions, and the broader cultural impact, while addressing the most common questions circulating on Google and YouTube.
The Launch: A Nostalgic Collaboration with Super Mario
Pringles, a brand synonymous with bold flavours and innovative marketing, kicked off the Mystery Flavour campaign in December 2024. The campaign was part of a larger partnership with Super Mario, a gaming franchise that has captivated audiences since the 1980s. The limited-edition silver cans, featuring the iconic mystery block from the Super Mario universe, hit supermarket shelves in January 2025 and were available across major retailers until May. The collaboration also included Pringles’ classic flavours Original, Salt & Vinegar, Texas BBQ, and Sour Cream & Onion branded with Super Mario characters like Mario and Luigi.
Rebecca Worthington, Pringles’ Marketing Lead for the UK and Ireland, emphasized the campaign’s appeal: “We know that Pringles is a leading snack brand of choice for gamers, and with 90s nostalgia firmly back in fashion this year, we’re partnering with the most enduring gaming franchise, Super Mario, to remind a generation of gamers of those magical early experiences which grew into a lifelong passion.” The mystery flavour added an interactive twist, encouraging fans to engage with the brand by guessing the flavour, aligning with the “surprises and hidden features” of Super Mario games.
The campaign’s gamified approach offering a trip to New York City for correct guesses ignited curiosity. By May 2025, Pringles had distributed 1.8 million tubes of the Mystery Flavour, with nearly 6,000 guesses submitted by snack enthusiasts, though less than 1% correctly identified the flavour as Spicy Pickle.
The Big Reveal: Spicy Pickle Takes Center Stage
After months of speculation, Pringles unveiled the Mystery Flavour in May 2025 as Spicy Pickle, a bold choice inspired by a viral TikTok trend. Martha O’Reilly, Pringles’ flavour innovation leader, explained the inspiration: “All of our flavours are based on what’s trending across Europe in food. And so TikTok was one of the inspirations for this because pickles are everywhere right now.” The flavour, combining the tangy, fermented notes of pickles with the heat of red chilli and jalapeño, was designed to capture the zeitgeist of Gen Z’s obsession with pickles, evident in TikTok trends like pickle, pickletrends, and picklechallenge.
The Spicy Pickle flavour was complex, incorporating additional taste elements like onion, tomato, paprika, and garlic, which contributed to the difficulty in identifying it. O’Reilly noted, “This flavour is quite complex. We have the spice, which comes from red chilli and jalapeño, and then we have, obviously, the pickles, so the fermented flavours in that.” This complexity led to a wide range of incorrect guesses, including wasabi, cheesy nachos, spicy meatball, and melted popcorn, as fans struggled to pinpoint the exact profile.
Available in 165g cans at a recommended retail price of £1.95, Spicy Pickle remained on shelves throughout May 2025, allowing fans to continue enjoying the flavour post-reveal. The announcement was met with a mix of excitement and surprise, as many had anticipated a flavour tied to the Italian heritage of Super Mario, such as pizza or spaghetti bolognese.
The TikTok Connection: How Social Media Shaped the Flavour
The Spicy Pickle flavour was no random choice. Pringles tapped into a cultural phenomenon dubbed “Picklemania” on TikTok, where pickles have become a viral sensation among Gen Z. Videos under hashtags like #pickle and #picklechallenge have garnered millions of views, showcasing creative pickle-based trends such as “glickles” (pickles with edible glitter) and “chickles” (fried cheese-wrapped pickles). This social media frenzy, amplified by celebrities like Dua Lipa incorporating pickles into unconventional recipes, prompted Pringles to capitalize on the trend.
Martha O’Reilly highlighted the strategic decision: “Especially with Gen Z, we know that’s where they’re getting inspiration for the products that they’re buying.” By aligning the Mystery Flavour with a trending ingredient, Pringles ensured relevance and engagement with younger audiences. The silver can, with its bold question mark, became a social media prop, encouraging users to share their tasting experiences and guesses on platforms like TikTok and Reddit.
Consumer Reactions: A Polarizing Flavour
The Mystery Flavour sparked heated discussions online, with fans divided over its taste. A Reddit post on February 5, 2025, featuring the silver can, ignited a flurry of responses. One user speculated, “Apparently it’s pizza flavour,” while another described it as “Paprika and Texas BBQ at the start, then gets really spicy.” Others were less impressed, with one commenter bluntly stating, “By far the worst flavour yet.” These varied reactions underscored the flavour’s polarizing nature, likely due to its complex blend of tangy, spicy, and savoury notes.
The difficulty in identifying the flavour added to its mystique. O’Reilly admitted, “Probably one of the biggest challenges I’ve had this year is just keeping it under wraps.” With only 50 people worldwide privy to the flavour before its reveal, Pringles successfully maintained secrecy, fueling intrigue. Social media platforms like TikTok and Reddit became hubs for speculation, with users sharing theories and taste-test videos, further amplifying the campaign’s reach.
The Contest: A Trip to New York City
A key element of the Mystery Flavour campaign was the contest, which invited fans to submit their flavour guesses for a chance to win a trip to New York City. Launched in January 2025, the contest ran until May, with participants encouraged to purchase the silver cans and share their guesses online. The campaign’s gamified approach resonated with Pringles’ target audience of gamers, aligning with the brand’s positioning as a “leading snack brand of choice for gamers.”
The contest saw nearly 6,000 submissions, but less than 1% correctly identified Spicy Pickle, highlighting the flavour’s elusive nature. Popular incorrect guesses included pizza, spaghetti bolognese, wasabi, and cheesy nachos, reflecting the influence of the Super Mario branding and the flavour’s complexity. The contest not only drove sales 1.8 million tubes were distributed but also fostered engagement, as fans took to social media to share their tasting experiences and theories.
Pringles’ History of Mystery Flavours
The 2025 Spicy Pickle Mystery Flavour was not Pringles’ first foray into mystery campaigns. The brand has a history of engaging consumers with enigmatic flavours, often tied to contests with significant prizes. In 2017, Pringles Canada launched a Mystery Flavour with a $10,000 prize, encouraging participants to guess the flavour through social media clues posted weekly on Facebook and Twitter. The campaign, dubbed the MysteryChallenge, capitalized on Canadians’ love for mystery, with 82% of surveyed Canadians seeking mystery as entertainment.
In 2019, Pringles introduced a Mystery Flavour in the U.S., available exclusively at Walgreens, with a $10,000 prize for correct guesses. The flavour, later revealed as Seven Layer Dip, was part of a campaign to “create new, innovative flavors that excite fans.” Similarly, in 2020, Pringles Australia launched a Mystery Flavour campaign titled “WTF: What’s the Flavour?”, revealing the flavour as Carbonara. These campaigns demonstrate Pringles’ knack for blending flavour innovation with interactive marketing, a strategy perfected with the 2025 Spicy Pickle release.
Cultural Impact: Pickles, Nostalgia, and Gen Z
The Spicy Pickle Mystery Flavour campaign reflects broader cultural trends. The resurgence of pickles, driven by TikTok, taps into Gen Z’s penchant for bold, quirky food experiences. The Super Mario collaboration leverages 90s nostalgia, appealing to both millennials who grew up with the franchise and younger gamers discovering it anew. By blending these elements, Pringles created a campaign that was both a marketing triumph and a cultural touchstone.
The campaign’s success lies in its interactivity. By inviting fans to guess the flavour and share their experiences online, Pringles fostered a sense of community and engagement. The silver can became a social media icon, with TikTok users posting videos of their taste tests and Reddit threads buzzing with debates. This participatory approach mirrors the gamified nature of Super Mario, where discovery and surprises are central to the experience.
Pringles’ Marketing Strategy: A Masterclass in Engagement
Pringles’ Mystery Flavour campaign exemplifies the brand’s innovative marketing strategy. By tying the flavour to a cultural trend (pickles) and a nostalgic franchise (Super Mario), Pringles ensured relevance across demographics. The contest added an element of excitement, while the limited-edition nature of the flavour created urgency. Rebecca Worthington noted, “A key part of our retail approach is finding new ways to engage with shoppers and creating those surprise and delight moments in and out of store.”
The campaign also built on Pringles’ history of creative launches. Previous campaigns, like the 2017 ketchup-flavoured Pringles slide in Toronto or the 2020 Carbonara Mystery Flavour in Australia, show the brand’s commitment to “eat-ertainment.” The 2025 campaign took this further by leveraging social media platforms like TikTok and Reddit, where user-generated content amplified the brand’s reach.
The Future of Pringles’ Mystery Flavours
The success of the Spicy Pickle campaign suggests that Pringles will continue to experiment with mystery flavours. The brand’s ability to tap into cultural trends, engage consumers through contests, and create buzz on social media positions it well for future campaigns. Given the popularity of pickles, Pringles may explore variations like a non-spicy Dill Pickle (reintroduced in 2024) or other TikTok-inspired flavours.
The Super Mario collaboration also opens the door for partnerships with other gaming franchises or nostalgic brands. As 90s and early 2000s nostalgia continues to resonate, Pringles could leverage this sentiment to create new limited-edition offerings that blend pop culture with innovative flavours.
FAQs
Why does Pringles release a Mystery Flavour?
Pringles uses the Mystery Flavour as a marketing campaign to engage customers in an interactive experience. It encourages fans to try the chips, share their guesses on social media, and generate buzz around the brand.
How can I participate in the Pringles Mystery Flavour challenge?
To participate, buy the Mystery Flavour pack, taste the chips, and try to guess the flavor. Then you can share your guesses on social media using official hashtags or enter contests if Pringles is running any related promotions.
What does the Pringles Mystery Flavour taste like?
The taste is deliberately kept secret, but popular guesses often include combinations like spicy chili, smoky barbecue, tangy cheese, or exotic herbs. Each release may have a different flavor profile, so it varies by campaign and region.
Where can I watch reviews of the Pringles Mystery Flavour?
YouTube is the best platform to find honest taste tests, reaction videos, and guesses from influencers and everyday snack lovers. Search “Pringles Mystery Flavour taste test” or “Pringles Mystery Flavour guess” for the latest videos.
In Summary
The Pringles Mystery Flavour campaign of 2025 was a masterstroke of marketing and flavour innovation. By introducing Spicy Pickle in a silver can with a Super Mario twist, Pringles captured the imagination of snack lovers and gamers alike. The campaign’s roots in TikTok’s pickle obsession, combined with its nostalgic appeal and interactive contest, made it a cultural phenomenon. While the flavour divided opinions some loved its tangy heat, others found it underwhelming and it undeniably sparked conversation and engagement.
For those who missed the chance to try Spicy Pickle, the campaign serves as a reminder of Pringles’ ability to surprise and delight. Whether you’re a gamer, a pickle enthusiast, or simply a fan of bold snacks, the Mystery Flavour offers a taste of adventure. As Pringles continues to innovate, one thing is certain: the next mystery is just around the corner, ready to tantalize taste buds and ignite social media.
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