By Peace Udugba — The Daily Torch Media
For decades, TomTom has remained a familiar name in Nigeria’s confectionery market. However, as consumer preferences evolve and younger audiences embrace new cultural influences, the menthol candy brand is exploring ways to maintain its relevance through music, creativity and youth engagement.
The strategy reflects a broader shift in how established consumer brands seek to connect with successive generations, moving beyond product recognition to build relationships around shared interests, experiences and cultural identity.
Culture influences how people live, interact and understand the world around them. From food and music to fashion, language and celebrations, everyday experiences shape how consumers relate to products and brands.
Over time, some products become more than items purchased for personal use. They become part of familiar routines, conversations and shared memories, creating connections that can endure across generations.
For brands, however, longevity alone does not guarantee continued relevance. As tastes, habits and social influences change, established businesses must find ways to appeal to new audiences while preserving the familiarity that has sustained them over the years.
TomTom, the menthol candy brand that has been part of the Nigerian market for decades, provides an example of how a long-established product is adapting to changing consumer interests.
TomTom Targets Younger Consumers Through Music
For many Nigerians, TomTom is associated with everyday experiences, including school days, road trips and routine purchases. While older consumers may have grown familiar with the brand over the years, younger audiences are encountering it in a cultural environment increasingly influenced by music, social media, content creators and digital communities.
Against this backdrop, the brand introduced its Breathe For It platform in 2021, using music and creative expression to encourage young people to pause, reset and remain composed when faced with pressure.
The initiative subsequently featured collaborations with musicians and emerging talents. Among them was Nigerian singer Rema, who became a brand ambassador, while Mani Lapussh emerged as the TomTom Boy in February/March 2022 after winning the Breathe For It Verse Challenge.
In June 2024, Fireboy DML and The Cavemen also joined the brand as ambassadors, reinforcing its association with contemporary Nigerian music.
The messaging later evolved into Breathe Through It, extending the brand’s emphasis on navigating everyday pressures while maintaining its connection with music and youth culture.
University Tour Extends Brand Engagement
Beyond its partnerships with established musicians, TomTom has collaborated with TRACE on the Trace in the City campus tour, taking entertainment and interactive experiences to five universities across Nigeria.
The initiative provides another avenue for the brand to engage young consumers in environments where music, self-expression and social interaction naturally intersect.
University campuses offer brands opportunities to interact directly with students, understand their interests and create experiences that extend beyond conventional advertising.
For TomTom, such engagements form part of a broader effort to maintain visibility among younger consumers while associating the product with experiences relevant to their everyday lives.
Digital Campaigns Promote Personal Expression
The brand’s engagement with younger audiences has also expanded into digital experiences and creative communities.
In February 2026, TomTom relaunched its Mint How You Feel initiative in collaboration with Boomplay, offering consumers personalised playlists based on their relationship status.
By linking music discovery with personal experiences, the initiative provided an interactive approach to engaging audiences through their interests and emotions.
The strategy developed further in July 2026 with the introduction of Breathe Army, a creator community designed to bring young creatives together to collaborate, exchange ideas and explore their interests.
According to the brand’s stated approach, the initiative is intended to provide a platform for young people to express themselves, develop connections and pursue creative opportunities.
Commenting on the strategy, Tosin Oti, Gum and Candies Category Manager at Mondelēz International, said established brands must evolve alongside the consumers they serve.
“TomTom has been part of the lives of Nigerians for generations, and as the culture evolves, we also have to evolve with our consumers. Breathe Army is about creating a space where young people can express themselves, build connections and pursue their creativity,” Oti said.
The approach highlights the growing importance of consumer engagement strategies that combine brand visibility with opportunities for participation, collaboration and self-expression.
Why Cultural Relevance Matters to Brands
The changing approach to brand communication reflects a wider development in the consumer market.
While traditional advertising remains important for creating awareness, businesses increasingly seek to participate in the interests and communities that already attract their target audiences.
In Nigeria, music remains a significant avenue for reaching diverse audiences, connecting generations and creating conversations around shared experiences.
Digital platforms have further expanded these opportunities by enabling brands to interact with consumers beyond physical retail outlets and conventional advertising channels.
However, maintaining cultural relevance requires more than associating a product with popular musicians or trending conversations. Brands must also demonstrate a consistent understanding of their audiences and create experiences that consumers consider meaningful.
For established products, the challenge is to balance heritage with innovation without losing the familiarity that makes them recognisable.
Familiarity and New Experiences
TomTom’s Fresh Lime variant, with its green identity and refreshing taste, also provides an example of how a familiar consumer product can be associated with seasonal and social occasions.
During Nigeria’s Independence celebrations, for instance, national colours, music, food and cultural traditions bring people together across generations. Younger Nigerians also contribute their own expressions to these celebrations, creating new experiences around familiar traditions.
A product’s association with such occasions can provide opportunities for consumer engagement, although its long-term relevance ultimately depends on the experiences people associate with the brand.
For TomTom, the broader strategy centres on combining its established presence in Nigeria with contemporary interests such as music, creativity and youth participation.
The approach illustrates an important distinction in brand building: a long history can provide recognition, but maintaining relevance requires continued engagement with changing consumer expectations.
The Future of Heritage Brands
For consumer brands seeking to remain relevant over several decades, the challenge is not simply to be remembered but to continue giving each generation a reason to engage with them.
TomTom’s efforts to connect with younger Nigerians through music partnerships, university activities, digital campaigns and creative communities reflect an attempt to build on its established identity while creating new associations.
Whether such initiatives translate into lasting consumer loyalty will depend on their consistency, the value they provide to participants and the brand’s ability to sustain meaningful engagement.
Ultimately, the experience of long-standing brands demonstrates that heritage and innovation do not have to compete. When carefully balanced, familiarity can provide a foundation for new experiences, allowing a brand to remain part of everyday life even as culture changes.
