Celebrating 200 Years of Cadbury with an Homage to a Fan Favourite
Founded in Birmingham on March 4th 1824, the Cadbury chocolate brand has been a staple within British, and international culture, for years. Starting with its founder, John Cadbury, the original shop began with cocoa and drinking chocolate, made via pestle and mortar, and evolved from there.
In 2024, with the factory in Bournville, Birmingham housing tours for chocolate enthusiasts, and its headquarters in Greater London, the chocolatier operates in over 50 countries globally. Selling its classic Dairy Milk bars, Crunchie, Flake and Twirl (among many other) products, its signature ‘glass & a half’ confectionery stands the test of time. And as the brand celebrates 200 years of operation, its celebrations are centred around one thing – the chocolate lovers who have kept it alive for so many years.
‘Yours for 200 Years’ sees the brand, and its partnering agency VCCP, recreate the ‘Mum’s Birthday’ spot from 2018 and modernise it simply to ‘Birthday’. Featuring the cast from the original spot and taking the viewer back in time in the new version, Cadbury is also partnering with Alzheimer’s Research UK, highlighting the history behind the spot. Not to mention, the OOH includes personal stories and pictures of Cadbury products over the years.
To share more, VCCP creative director Angus Vine speaks to LBB’s Nisna Mahtani.
LBB> 200 years of Cadbury’s is a huge milestone! How did you want to commemorate the occasion?
Angus> 200 years is a massive milestone for Cadbury, but instead of focusing on the brand's history, we wanted to focus the attention on the British public - those who have made the 200 years possible. ‘Yours for 200 Years’ celebrates the close connection Cadbury has with the public and how it has been part of all our lives in lovely moments over the years.
LBB> It’s important to touch on the relationship between Cadbury and the British public, though it is now a global name. Can you tell us a little bit about the history behind the brand?
Angus> There’s definitely a strong bond and connection between Cadbury and the British public. Cadbury has been there as a constant throughout our lives, and therefore there’s a huge amount of nostalgia and fond memories connected to the brand. Cadbury also has a Quaker history, and was founded on a spirit of generosity that did a lot for early worker's rights. The brand has had a role in the big national moments and the little ones in all our lives, that’s pretty special.
LBB> How does this history play into the ‘Yours for 200 Years’ idea behind it all?
Angus> Cadbury is a company that was built on a philosophy of generosity. It's this generous instinct that has been celebrated in our Dairy Milk ads since the original ‘Mum’s Birthday’ ad launched the campaign. The interesting thought that we kept on returning to was that even though so much has changed over the 200-year history of Cadbury, one thing that has remained the same is the public's generous instinct.
LBB> The campaign focuses on a recreation of ‘Mum’s Birthday’. Can you talk us through that original spot and the reaction it received from the audience?
Angus> ‘Mum’s Birthday’ has a timeless quality and a universal appeal with a story of generosity that everyone could relate to. Recreating ‘Mum’s Birthday’ for the 200th anniversary allowed us to show how the same powerful act of generosity is relatable not only today in 2024, but from the beginnings of the brand in 1824.
LBB> In this ‘Birthday’ recreation, we’re taken through the ages from 1824 to now. How did you achieve this and what was the process to get to the final campaign?
Angus> We wanted to make the progression of time as seamless as possible. When you look at the first and last frame, we’ve been transported over 200 years, however it’s crafted to be subtle to ensure it didn't overpower the story of generosity that sits at the heart of the ad. Great attention was taken to transport the viewer over the decades by tweaking the fashions, hairstyles and all the set design as we moved through the ages.
LBB> During the production and post-production process, what were some of the trickiest elements to get right?
Angus> We wanted to remain faithful to the original cast of ‘Mum’s Birthday’ however, our lead girl was now roughly six years older. This meant we had to meticulously place as much of the original performance into our newly shot ad. This was incredibly complex, and on the shoot we went to great lengths to match the lighting and performances with body doubles, just to make the VFX possible. Then each shot was treated individually, using a mixture of head replacement techniques to recreate the story of generosity, all whilst moving through 200 years of history.
LBB> You’ve mentioned that most of the original cast came back to create this spot. What was it like to have everyone on set and be a part of this milestone? How did that play into the campaign?
Angus> It was great to welcome back the original cast from the ad that kicked off the generosity platform so many years ago. It brought back lovely memories for everyone who worked on the previous spot. But also, having the same actors allowed us to transition seamlessly through the 200-year history and ensured we captured the same great performances and created the same emotion that we had in the original.
LBB> Part of the campaign also involves curated family photos including Cadbury’s chocolates. Why was it important to incorporate these special memories into the 200-year celebration?
Angus> Cadbury has a special connection and sense of belonging with the British people. It’s been involved in family moments in British life for generations. So to celebrate this on Cadbury’s 200th anniversary, we asked the nation to search their attics, wardrobes and garages for old photos that featured a bit of Cadbury. The response was remarkable. Thousands of real, nostalgic photos were sent in, which we’ve then displayed on some of the biggest sites up and down the country.
LBB> Could you share some of your favourite ‘Your Cadbury Photos’ images?
Angus> In the first phase of the campaign we were sent thousands of photos from the public and the best shots have been selected to become part of our OOH campaign. It was great reviewing all of them, as they transported you back in time. Some of my favourite shots were those that showed the relationship Cadbury has with the public, whether it was families displaying their easter eggs or opening selection boxes around the Christmas tree. These shots were all so relatable.
LBB> Is there anything else we should keep an eye out for this year from Cadbury to commemorate 200 years?
Angus> We are excited to be launching a poster campaign supporting the Cadbury Dairy Milk - Limited Edition packs, bringing back some iconic Cadbury packaging designs from over the years. There's also more activity where the public can get involved in the anniversary and more to come to mark our partnership with Alzheimer’s Research UK.
LBB> We’ve got to know, what are your favourite Cadbury chocolates and memories of eating them?
Angus> One of my favourite Cadbury memories was receiving a red 2p mini chocolate dispenser in the ‘80s for Christmas. It was like having your own chocolate vending machine at home.
