How Mars Wrigley And T&Pm Are Using AI To Help Students Focus

Focus. It’s something we all struggle with in this age of constant distraction.

And having battled his way through a Law degree with undiagnosed ADHD, T&Pm’s Sam Collins knows firsthand the energy expended and effort required for the neurodivergent mind to stay on task.

Now working on global brands as a copywriter, along with his Art Director Ivan, Sam saw an opportunity to support neurodivergent students, for whom the attention gap is widening.

Chewing gum helps students take a few moments for themselves; giving them the space to refresh and recentre.

To give them something a little extra T&Pm, Mars Wrigley and Australian- based technology studio Kopi Su created an AI tool that blends any lecture recording with a soothing lofi beat – making lecture content easier to absorb and retain for students.

A working prototype of the platform – developed with a cohort of 200 neurodiverse students – allows users to upload any lecture file and turn it into a chill lofi track. Initial research showed a ‘positivity rating’ of 4/5 and even more encouragingly, ‘likelihood to use the tool’ also rated at 4/5, indicating strong potential for the tool to trigger widespread behaviour change amongst neurodivergent students.

Frances Draskau, Group Creative Director, said: “In the goldrush for AI adoption, the good it can do is often overlooked. Sam & Ivan saw the potential to harness AI and solve a real problem affecting many students and learners around the world. Using only the power of gum, music and a kickass team of software engineers and visionaries, they’ve swiftly achieved what they set out to, blending multiple AI technologies to create an original tool that helps others. We can’t wait to get it into the hands of everyone who needs it.”

Elizabeth O’Sullivan Prentice, Senior Manager Brands & Content, added: “Extra Gum wants to support young people in their studies and beyond. With the attention gap widening, our investment in technology like the Lecture Lounge demonstrates our commitment to doing just that.”