Last week, I was invited to comment on the BBC on the BREAKING NEWS that Mars Wrigley had announced a trial to banish Bounty bars in some Celebrations boxes, in a select few stores. Behind this momentous business ‘decision’ was a survey of 2000 people which revealed that 39 per cent of Brits supported removing the Bounty and almost one-in-five Brits would feel disappointed to open a Celebrations box and find just Bounty bars left.
Here are three things I learned from a fun day of talking chocolate and PR on the radio:
- Overt PR isn’t always jarring. This was obviously a PR campaign – and yet, that only made the story stronger. Not only did consumers understand it was PR-generated; they actually embraced the frivolity of it all. It shows how creating a story that is clearly for entertainment can still secure high earned media and organic social coverage.
- Tap into issues that have talkability. Surveys work when they are about something we all naturally discuss and have an opinion on. For example, it wouldn’t have worked if it involved banning Freddos. Who doesn’t love Freddos?! It wouldn’t have divided opinion.
- We all need a bit of silliness sometimes. There is much gloomy hard news around at the moment that we are happy to embrace light-hearted nonsense. Bear in mind that this story was launched in the week of interest rates rising by an eye watering 0.75%, Rishi’s COP27 U-turn and energy blackouts in Ukraine. The story before my interview on BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester featured guests discussing whether ‘home’ firework sales should be banned. How depressing.
Chapeau to the team at Taylor Herring for a genius campaign.
Next up, the Bring Back the Bounty campaign? Count me in.
