'Set Them Free with Dairylea' Campaign Celebrates Letting Kids Be Kids

Dairylea, the cheese snack brand adored by kids and families for generations is back with a new brand campaign, championing the benefits of a little bit of independence for children.

The beloved childhood, cheesy snack, Dairylea worked with global agency of record, VCCP London, to mastermind ‘Set them free with Dairylea,’ an integrated campaign offering parents a glimpse into the wonderfully curious eyes of kids, and is the first work creative agency VCCP London has executed for Dairylea since it was appointed as creative agency last summer. 

The fresh, new creative will run for two months from today and launches with a hero 40 second film inspired by the curiosity and adventurousness of kids when left to their own devices. Directed by Thirty Two, the film playfully captures two young girls hanging upside down from a small goal post and pondering over what happens to their Dairylea triangle when eaten the wrong way around. 

Consumer research showed that while many parents want to let their kids be kids and give them a bit of space, restrictions over the last 18 months, the influence of technology, and the sheer pace of modern life meant that many kids have less time for adventure and free play. Yet it was in those moments that parents felt the most reward.  

The sentiment of the campaign therefore focuses on the simple wonder of those moments when our kids have a bit of space and are lost in their own little worlds. Moments that Dairylea, a little cheesy triangle that kids can take anywhere and eat any way they please, is made for. A little bit of independence wrapped up in silver foil. 

In a market dominated by surrealism and cartoon characters, ‘Set them free with Dairylea’  aims to be truly distinctive to parents of kids aged 3-10, by telling relatable, lovely stories in the real-world, told from a kids-eye-view.

Discussing the rebrand, Catharine Young, associate marketing director Meals UK & I at Mondelēz International said: “The last 18 months have been unprecedented, especially for kids. School, playtime, and adventures to the park have all been disrupted. Now, as the world begins to open up again and kids can get back outside, this bold campaign encourages us all to give kids a little space and see the wonderful things that can happen. Dairylea is made for adventurous moments. It’s a little triangle of cheese that kids can take anywhere, and eat any way they please. A little bit of independence wrapped up in silver foil.”

Adding to this, Caroline Rawlings, creative director at VCCP London said: “There’s something brilliantly nostalgic about Dairylea. Its size - just right to be taken anywhere by little hands or pockets, its shiny, crinkly foil, it's squishyness. It’s like the best bits of childhood. Simple, innocent, unassuming, and all the better for it. We wanted to create a campaign that championed a childhood where kids are free to experience those precious little moments that, to a parent might feel like nothing, but to a child are everything. A positioning where Dairylea could encourage giving children enough independence to use their imaginations or find their own boundaries. To make mistakes and learn from them. To answer their own questions with answers that are far better than the truth. All with a little bit of cheese in hand to keep them going.”

‘Set Them Free with Dairylea’ campaign will run in the UK and ROI for two months from today across BVOD, OOH, Social, and Digital. Media has been planned and executed by Carat.