Gorilla ad works its magic on sales of Cadbury bars
by Jennifer Whitehead
Brand Republic
19-Feb-08, 09:15
LONDON - It is the debate that has been raging in the industry since the Cadbury Gorilla first hit his drums -- great ad, but will it shift chocolate bars?
The answer appears to be yes, with Cadbury Schweppes reporting revenue growth of 5% during 2007 in its final results today.
The Cadbury "gorilla" spot, created by Fallon London, has been the success story of 2007 -- an entertaining spot that appeals to a huge audience, and which has viewers clamouring for more.
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Sky reported that, in the space of a fortnight, 58,000 households took time out of their busy days to watch a long-form version of the ad using their red button, and if parody is the next sincerest form of flattery, it is clearly a winner.
In its results release, the company said: "In chocolate, revenues in the second half benefited from the successful relaunch of Wispa and our new advertising campaign for Cadbury Dairy Milk."
However, it also trumpeted the success of its first foray into chewing gum, with the launch a brand called Trident -- one that came with an ad campaign that was somewhat less loved than the Cadbury Gorilla.
In fact, the "mastication for the nation" campaign drew more than 500 complaints about its stereotyped portrayal of Caribbean people, and was subsequently banned for being racist and offensive.
Yet Cadbury's gum business has taken a 10% share of the market in its first year of operation. Furthermore, Cadbury said that although sales of chocolate were up, profit margins were lower compared with last year, which it is attributing largely to the media spend on Cadbury Dairy Milk in the UK.
Which brings us back to the debate about the Cadbury "gorilla" ad, and whether it shifts chocolate bars. In the short term, the answer is clearly "yes", but only time will tell if sales will be maintained when Cadbury stops backing the product with heavy media spend.
Dear, oh dear. A 5% revenue growth for a company with such a diverse brand portfolio can't be attributed to one ad as much as one ad can't be held responsible for sales whilst off air. Jennifer Whitehead should do herself and Haymarket a favour. Even Cadbury and Fallon might be embarrassed about this pap.
Why on earth would people think this wouldn't have donea job for Dairy Milk sales? In the context of rushed choices and crowded fixtures, the most effective confectionery advertising creates high brand salience and this ad is about as near to the "King Kong in a jockstrap" route of achieving salience as you can get! Maybe people were concerned that it would be poorly branded but its fame and high levels of attention have addressed that.
What was Cadbury's decline in sales the previous year as a result of the salmonella scare? Could this 5% increase merely be a readjustment to previous market share?
Cadbury's could settle the dispute once and for all by telling us what the growth in Dairy Milk sales was, distinct from the rest of their range. If they don't, it'll leave us wondering whether Gorilla was really as effective as one would think.
The ad was great but surely Cadbury's hardcare below-the-line action must have had a pretty high impact too. Two medium sized Easter Eggs for 99p anyone? Very tempting regardless of Gorilla presence.
The biggest issue is the failure to be able to clearly measure. Slap wrists to whoever does this or hasn't in Cadbury's and its agencies. You might need a different methodology to tracking etc...as urely soial and viral don't work that way....but it is possible if you think it through....a golden oportunity lost.
Retail price index up at 4.1%... inflation at 2.1% - so at best it's 1-3% growth. Bloody good ad that one. :) All joking aside it is only a small growth figure, but I think the ad has been good for the brand. It got people talking.
I think everyone is forgetting how bad things were for Cadbury before the Gorilla ad. It was severely damaged by the salmonella scare. The Gorilla campaign was about brand revival more than anything else which is why Fallon made an uplifting, fun YouTube-inspired spot. With this in mind and the massive amount of media spend also taken in consideration, a small uplight is remarkable and worth applauding. Well done Fallon!
Nothing beats that ad- I agree chocolate Gorilla's would be great! The ad is simple and light hearted, an ad that makes you laugh rather than go into deep thought as to what it's trying to convey. Just a good old laugh I say!
"an ad that makes you laugh rather than go into deep thought as to what it's trying to convey"
Er, what would be the thinking behind trying to "convey" anything in a dairy milk ad?
has anyone here who likes the ad bought more dairy milk chocolate??? there is a difference between entartaining and selling, and would interpret that the divide is over which it serves more - we like the ad or we want to buy more chocolate? Chocolate gorilla does sound good though!
Some very valid points here, and some not so.
My first impressions having seen the ad after much hype was- yeah it's original, engaging and very memorable, but does it make me want to go and buy dairy milk bars?-not so much.
Few issues here. Firstly, although this was a 'Dairy Milk' ad, lets not get too caught up in the sales figures for dairy milk, make no mistake, this was a Cadbury's branding exercise.
And although there is virtually no call to action in the ad- in terms of branding, generating buzz and word of mouth, this came out absolutely trumps.
Cadbury has had some massive bloopers in the last few years with the salmonella scare and how they dealt with it, the trident campaign fiasco etc etc so good on them for investing heavily in a risky strategy that I would view as a success.
I was given the heads up on these quarterly results and told that they would be impressive- the confectionery revenue growth was 7%- the best yr on yr growth for a decade.
How much of that can be attributed to a TV ad? I think this is a wider debate about accountability and the TV medium.
Comments
Rod Meborn-Hubbard - 19/02/2008
Dear, oh dear. A 5% revenue growth for a company with such a diverse brand portfolio can't be attributed to one ad as much as one ad can't be held responsible for sales whilst off air. Jennifer Whitehead should do herself and Haymarket a favour. Even Cadbury and Fallon might be embarrassed about this pap.
Adrian Langford - 19/02/2008
Why on earth would people think this wouldn't have donea job for Dairy Milk sales? In the context of rushed choices and crowded fixtures, the most effective confectionery advertising creates high brand salience and this ad is about as near to the "King Kong in a jockstrap" route of achieving salience as you can get! Maybe people were concerned that it would be poorly branded but its fame and high levels of attention have addressed that.
Martin Bush - 19/02/2008
I'm not an account person but a 5% revenue growth. Is that something to be overwhelmingly proud of?
Under Employed - 19/02/2008
What was Cadbury's decline in sales the previous year as a result of the salmonella scare? Could this 5% increase merely be a readjustment to previous market share?
Nuts n Seeds - 19/02/2008
Cadbury's could settle the dispute once and for all by telling us what the growth in Dairy Milk sales was, distinct from the rest of their range. If they don't, it'll leave us wondering whether Gorilla was really as effective as one would think.
DONOVAN - 19/02/2008
The ad was great but surely Cadbury's hardcare below-the-line action must have had a pretty high impact too. Two medium sized Easter Eggs for 99p anyone? Very tempting regardless of Gorilla presence.
Mark Palmer - 19/02/2008
The biggest issue is the failure to be able to clearly measure. Slap wrists to whoever does this or hasn't in Cadbury's and its agencies. You might need a different methodology to tracking etc...as urely soial and viral don't work that way....but it is possible if you think it through....a golden oportunity lost.
Gellan Watt - 19/02/2008
Retail price index up at 4.1%... inflation at 2.1% - so at best it's 1-3% growth. Bloody good ad that one. :) All joking aside it is only a small growth figure, but I think the ad has been good for the brand. It got people talking.
Mark Smith - 19/02/2008
I think everyone is forgetting how bad things were for Cadbury before the Gorilla ad. It was severely damaged by the salmonella scare. The Gorilla campaign was about brand revival more than anything else which is why Fallon made an uplifting, fun YouTube-inspired spot. With this in mind and the massive amount of media spend also taken in consideration, a small uplight is remarkable and worth applauding. Well done Fallon!
Ivor Falvey - 19/02/2008
Forget chocolate bunnies, I want a chocolate Gorilla for easter - even a small Gorilla has got to mean more chocolate
Gordon Macmillan - 19/02/2008
Ivor has hit it. Gorillas all around this easter would work a treat.
Victoria Adegboyega - 19/02/2008
Nothing beats that ad- I agree chocolate Gorilla's would be great! The ad is simple and light hearted, an ad that makes you laugh rather than go into deep thought as to what it's trying to convey. Just a good old laugh I say!
Adrian Langford - 19/02/2008
"an ad that makes you laugh rather than go into deep thought as to what it's trying to convey" Er, what would be the thinking behind trying to "convey" anything in a dairy milk ad?
joe woollen - 19/02/2008
has anyone here who likes the ad bought more dairy milk chocolate??? there is a difference between entartaining and selling, and would interpret that the divide is over which it serves more - we like the ad or we want to buy more chocolate? Chocolate gorilla does sound good though!
Jonathan Keane - 20/02/2008
Some very valid points here, and some not so. My first impressions having seen the ad after much hype was- yeah it's original, engaging and very memorable, but does it make me want to go and buy dairy milk bars?-not so much. Few issues here. Firstly, although this was a 'Dairy Milk' ad, lets not get too caught up in the sales figures for dairy milk, make no mistake, this was a Cadbury's branding exercise. And although there is virtually no call to action in the ad- in terms of branding, generating buzz and word of mouth, this came out absolutely trumps. Cadbury has had some massive bloopers in the last few years with the salmonella scare and how they dealt with it, the trident campaign fiasco etc etc so good on them for investing heavily in a risky strategy that I would view as a success. I was given the heads up on these quarterly results and told that they would be impressive- the confectionery revenue growth was 7%- the best yr on yr growth for a decade. How much of that can be attributed to a TV ad? I think this is a wider debate about accountability and the TV medium.