Reese’s Debuts a New Olympic Medal Shape

Every spring seems to unite every American consumer under one firm belief: Reese’s Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Eggs are superior to the classic Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. It’s not just the fact that seasonal items carry more novelty. It’s that the ratio of peanut butter to chocolate seems more favorable in the egg versus the cup. Now, a new contender enters the field: For the first time ever, Reese’s is rewarding our collective sweet tooth with a new seasonal shape just for the summertime — a Reese’s Medal celebrating the Summer Olympics in France. 

Reese’s, in its ongoing partnership with Team USA, has teamed up with Olympic gold medalist soccer player Alex Morgan and Paralympic gold medalist swimmer Jessica Long to promote the new product. Also repping Reese’s Medals are two hopefuls competing in this year’s games: soccer player Sophia Smith and para swimmer Haven Shepherd. (This mix of “legends” and “newcomers” is a nod to Reese’s newest shape “competing” against the classic cup.)

“Reese’s Medals has created a visual storytelling opportunity that will become a cultural moment of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris,” Dave Mingey, SVP of partnerships at USOPP (United States Olympic & Paralympic Properties), said in the press release.

It’s no surprise that Reese’s is aligning its high-profile campaign with the summer games. Although total viewership for the primetime broadcast dipped in 2021, Paralympics coverage saw its highest ratings in history, with millions tuning in to watch the major events. That year, Reese’s formed the “Ultimate Team” of gold medalist swimmers Michael Phelps, Katie Ledecky, and Caeleb Dressel to promote its Ultimate Peanut Butter Lovers Cups.

And of course, Reese’s understands the love that customers have for its seasonal shapes, regularly releasing new offerings around Halloween, Easter, and Christmas. Often, the shapes don’t look like what they’re trying to imitate—and Reese’s has gotten in on that joke, too, tweeting an image in 2015 of a Reese’s “holiday tree” that failed to live up to its botanical inspiration. But it hardly matters that these shapes often look like little more than blobs, because they regularly top the list of best-selling holiday candies. 

The Reese’s Medals are vaguely keyhole-shaped, with a round end that tapers in the center and flares out on the other side. This allows for a bit more chocolate to enrobe the generous filling of peanut butter — something that will surely appeal to fans of both the seasonal shapes and the classic cup. So, if you’re still sitting on a stash of leftover Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs from your Easter basket, go ahead and eat them with abandon before picking up Reese’s inaugural summer release. The Medals are available nationwide in snack, standard, and king-size packages for a limited time.