Cadbury Retells Iconic Story Over 200 Years in Touching Anniversary Film

Cadbury and its global agency of record VCCP London has today launched a fully integrated campaign celebrating Cadbury’s 200th anniversary and its long-standing relationship with the British public.

Since being founded in Birmingham on 4th March 1824, Cadbury has grown to become part of the fabric of the nation, present in the lives of British people in moments big and small. The new campaign Yours for 200 Years was developed to celebrate being part of British life for generations, rather than to just mark a milestone.

Yours for 200 Years focuses on the sense of belonging to the nation through both the shared value of generosity, upon which Cadbury was founded, and in products which have become part of British life and culture. Cadbury has long spoken to the generous spirit in all of us. For Cadbury’s anniversary year, the campaign film ‘Birthday’ revives the much-loved ‘Mum’s Birthday’ TVC to demonstrate that there has always been A Glass and a Half in Everyone.

The 60” film takes viewers through 200 years of British life, beginning in 1824 and travelling through time as the story of a little girl buying her mum a bar of Cadbury Dairy Milk for her birthday is retold. The setting changes subtly around the girl and shopkeeper as time advances, technology and fashions change but, powerfully, the story remains the same.

VCCP’s global content creation studio Girl&Bear worked with award-winning director Frederic Planchon, who directed the original ‘Mum’s Birthday’ TVC, and Academy Films. Most of the original cast were reunited for the new film, with body doubles and post-production techniques used to recreate the scene between the shopkeeper and the girl (who is now five years older than when the first ad was released), post production was managed by Selected Works. The end result is an emotional reboot of a classic advert which celebrates small, shared moments of generosity.

To acknowledge that Cadbury’s enduring success is due to the nation’s continued support and love, the British public are the heroes of ‘Your Cadbury Photos’ across OOH and social. A competition selected pictures submitted from old family albums where people were seen enjoying Cadbury products, from Easter egg hunts, Christmas, and the Flake 99 ice cream on summer holidays. These images feature across billboards and campaign assets to celebrate the role Cadbury has held in British people’s lives and memories. Media planning and execution for the campaign is handled by Publicis Media.

Further boosting the nostalgia generated by the campaign, a limited-edition range of seven Cadbury Dairy Milk bars is being released featuring classic designs, crafted in collaboration with Bulletproof (Cadbury’s branding agency). First introduced in 1905, Cadbury Dairy Milk is a favourite amongst the public who recognise its iconic packaging designs from their past. Cadbury are also working in partnership with Alzheimer’s Research UK and the Alzheimer's Society of Ireland, acknowledging the link between nostalgic packaging designs and memory. 

A range of bespoke nostalgic OOH ads has also been designed by illustrators to celebrate Cadbury Dairy Milk’s famous branding and iconic design evoking the artwork of bygone campaigns. Each execution is illustrated in the style of a different era and packaging, creating a beautiful suite of retro posters.

Elise Burditt, senior marketing director at Cadbury, said, “This is a very special moment for us. It’s not every day that you have the opportunity to celebrate a 200th anniversary! But for us this is so much more than that - it’s celebrating 200 years of being part of the lives of the British public and recognising that we wouldn’t be here today without them. We want to demonstrate that the values upon which Cadbury was founded in Birmingham 200 years ago still ring true today with people, and with a generous spirit at the heart of everything we do.”

Chris Birch and Jonny Parker, executive creative directors at VCCP London, added, “Crikey. 200 years old. That only happens when you have the relationship with the British public that Cadbury has. This work celebrates every Christmas morning Selection Box, every school trouser pocket Curly Wurly, every drippy Flake 99, every Dairy Milk on the sofa and everyone in Britain who’s gleefully munched them down since 1824. Happy Birthday Cadbury.”

The campaign will run throughout the UK across AV, D/OOH, audio, social, print and digital from today and will be supported by owned-channel activity by Elvis and a PR campaign by Ogilvy.