United Biscuits (UB), the leading international manufacturer of biscuits and cakes, today unveiled the latest instalment in the company’s iconic ‘Sweeet™’ McVitie’s masterbrand strategy with a £1.3 million advertising campaign to launch McVitie’s BN biscuit range – known for its smiley face and cheeky wink.
The BN campaign will feature a baby owl, and follows the successful McVitie’s masterbrand campaigns earlier this year that used a tarsier (a small primate) for Jaffa Cakes, puppies for Digestives and kittens for Chocolate Digestives. The animals and the ‘Sweeet™’ strapline in the campaign aim to evoke the same feeling and emotional response as people get when eating a McVitie’s biscuit.
The 30-second advert for BN, which originated from France, uses the well-known Mnah Mnah tune, and features a baby owl popping out of a packet, causing unexpected excitement before it crunches into one of the crispy sandwich biscuits. It will run from 7 July and is being supported by in-store marketing, PR including a blogger-led summer campaign and online marketing – with a significant push through McVitie’s social media channels.
All the adverts have been created by Grey London and are part of UB’s masterbrand strategy unveiled in February 2014. It groups most of the company’s sweet products under the McVitie’s masterbrand and most of the company’s savoury products, including Jacob’s Cream Crackers and Mini Cheddars, under the Jacob’s masterbrand, with a ‘Snack Happy’ strapline. The masterbrand strategy is designed to make UB’s marketing more effective and simplify the shopping experience for consumers.
Martin Glenn, CEO of United Biscuits, commented: “These catchy ads will re-launch the famous BN brand, which we think has great potential here in the UK. The cheeky wink, the delicious taste and crunchy texture make for a really enjoyable biscuit occasion with a sense of fun.
“Our masterbrand strategy taps into consumers’ love for our iconic brands by highlighting the importance of the biscuit in everyday life and their emotional appeal. They make a time-out in your day just that little bit more enjoyable.”
United Biscuits products are established as heritage brands worldwide. Thanks to the strength of the range, McVitie’s accounts for about 40% of the everyday biscuits market in the UK, with UB branded biscuits being purchased by around 90% of the UK population last year.
