Kraft, Mars and Nestlé – the battle of the ad campaigns
Several of the multinational confectionery brands are launching new ad campaigns to highlight existing brands.
Kraft introduced the new £4 million tv campaign for Toblerone on 1 March. It features a woman going to extraordinary lengths to enjoy her Toblerone, such as using a hairpin and the lid of a grand piano to break a piece off. “Our TV and online campaigns are only the start. We’re looking forward to growing its loyal customer base,” says brand manager Stephanie Rasche.
Meanwhile, Nestlé will launch the new Rowntree’s Fruit Pastilles tv campaign on 12 March for the first time in 4 years. It uses the previously used ‘chew challenge’, with a young man trying to impress a princess by putting a pastille in his mouth without being tempted to chew it. The ad will be supported by a digital campaign to encourage Facebook and website traffic.
Mars Wrigley has also unveiled that marketing and NPD plans for 2011 will include “adding some big noise” to existing confectionery lines, rather than introducing new SKUs. A new series of its Food Creatures campaign is being launched to highlight the dental benefits of the Wrigley Extra sugarfree gum. Wrigley sales director Duncan McCulloch notes, “In 2010 we kickstarted Extra’s transition into being a brand that offers wider oral care benefits and in 2011 we will take it to the next level with the pH curve.”
The company will also build on the growth of Skittles with mystery blue flavours, supported by on-pack competitions, Facebook ads and a later tv campaign. The Starburst brand saw sales slumping 18%. “It had too many flavour SKUs and we were not brutal enough about reducing the range,” says McCulloch. “Centring Starburst’s marketing on ‘fruit-bursting flavour’ had been too summer-based and seasonal.”
