Mentos and Rolling Stone AU/NZ launch Fresh Sounds Class of ’26

Mentos and Rolling Stone Australia/New Zealand have launched the second year of their Fresh Sounds partnership, featuring eight emerging artists in the Class of ’26 program.

The year-long campaign, curated by Rolling Stone AU/NZ, will give selected Australian and New Zealand artists editorial exposure, original content opportunities, and industry visibility. The eight-artist cohort has been selected by the publication’s editorial team.

The campaign has been developed in partnership with Havas Play, Havas Media and The Idea Shed, with emerging artists invited to apply through the Mentos Fresh Sounds portal.

Mentos Senior Brand Manager Nikolah Best said the partnership was designed to support emerging artists and help them build audiences.

“Refreshing the everyday is at the heart of the Mentos brand, and Fresh Sounds is a powerful expression of that purpose. By partnering with Rolling Stone AU/NZ, we're creating opportunities for emerging artists to share their stories, grow their audiences and shape the future of music. We're proud to continue evolving the platform and investing in fresh voices that inspire community connection."

Year-long artist program

Artists selected for the Class of ’26 will feature across Rolling Stone AU/NZ’s editorial channels through interviews, exclusive In My Room performances and behind-the-scenes content.

Rolling Stone AU/NZ Editor-in-Chief Neil Griffiths said the second year of the campaign would build on its inaugural program.

“The Mentos Fresh Sounds Campaign, curated by Rolling Stone AU/NZ, is all about discovering fresh Australian and New Zealand talent and getting local music lovers on board so they can help champion these acts from the beginning to superstardom. We were so proud to launch this campaign alongside Mentos last year and saw some amazing artists like Akala Newman and Ama come through. We’re proud of the talent we’ve handpicked this year and excited to share them with the world.”

Havas Play has worked with Rolling Stone AU/NZ on the artist experience and storytelling strategy, including personalised artist profiles and editorial features.

“At Havas PLAY, we're passionate about helping brands show up authentically in culture, and the Class of '26 is a great example of what's possible when brand ambition, cultural relevance and editorial authority come together around a shared purpose. Together, we've evolved the Mentos Fresh Sounds platform into a richer storytelling experience that gives emerging artists greater visibility and meaningful opportunities to connect with new audiences,” Havas Play Creative Project Director Megan McMurdo said.

Campaign rolls out across media

Campaign activity will run across Meta, TikTok, YouTube, Vevo, Spotify, out-of-home placements and Vinyl Media’s publishing network, using a mix of earned, owned and paid media.

The creative platform has also been updated for its second year. Developed from The Idea Shed’s original concept, the new executions use sound waves radiating from a Mentos dragée and incorporate individual artist imagery across billboard and other campaign assets.

The program will culminate at the end of the year with the inaugural Mentos Fresh Sounds Class of ’26 House Party, a Rolling Stone AU/NZ live showcase featuring all eight artists and attended by fans and music industry representatives.

Vinyl Media is the owner of Mediaweek.