It’s not every day you get to renovate a brand that everyone has grown up with.

When we were asked to take the nation’s favourite chocolate brand, Cadbury, from a world of joy to a place that we could all relate to, we jumped at the chance. The recent advertising campaign was brilliantly heart-warming, focusing on the small, good deeds that bring people together. The problem was, we needed to make the notion of ‘inspiring a little more Cadbury Goodness in the world’ a reality, whilst showcasing Cadbury’s quality credentials.

We started by taking a trip to the place where it all began: Bournville. Cadbury’s first home. Knowing we had to look back to look forward, we searched through over a hundred years of rich brand history, looking for that perfect ‘sweet spot’. Inspired by founder John Cadbury’s philanthropic legacy and Cadbury Dairy Milk’s historical USP, the glass and a half of extra milk, we found our idea: ‘Generous Spirit’. A spirit woven into the fabric of Cadbury through the belief that there’s a glass and a half in everyone.

To help anchor our idea and bring it to life, we created three guiding principles; it needed to be ‘Authentic’ in a way that celebrated the craft; it needed to capture John Cadbury’s ‘Visionary’ outlook (he built a village for his workers so they could enjoy a higher quality of life); and lastly, it needed to feel real and 'Human'.

For a brand all about humanity and authenticity, the “Cadbury” script had started to look a little bit corporate. We brought back a sense of humanity by making it what it always was: a handwritten signature from the Cadbury family themselves, originally seen on the first delivery vans in 1921. The refined Dairy Milk typography returned familiarity to the brand, cemented in bold, uppercase lettering that showed pride and stature while retaining some of its playful quirks.

The Glass and a Half logo had lost its presence on previous packs, featured pouring into the Dairy Milk logotype. Inspired by adverts from the ‘70s, we elevated it to its rightful place alongside the famous Cadbury Chunk, putting them back at the very heart of the brand and brand world. We chose top-down photography to celebrate the embossed Cadbury name on each and every chunk, a timeless symbol of quality and commitment.

+5.7% sales increase YOY

6 points up in ‘Having Attractive Packaging’

Once again #1 brand for Taste and Quality

5 points up in ‘love the taste’

Once again #1 most salient brand in the category

Once again #1 most powerful brand in the category (strongest equity)

+5% improvement in Brand Power

#1 most meaningful brand in the category

3 points up in My First Choice

3 points up in ‘is relevant to me'

6 points up in Behave in a Responsible Way Towards Society and the Environment

7 point increase in A Brand That Brings People Together

5 point increase in A Brand That Makes Me Smile