Cadbury brings back Wispa permanently

Cadbury is relaunching Wispa as a permanent countline five years after it was axed because of plummeting sales.

The return of the brand follows its successful return as a limited-edition product last year.

It is understood that it will return to shelves in the second half of the year and will receive significant advertising, including TV.

Cadbury is not thought to be discontinuing Dairy Milk Bubbles, which was introduced to replace Wispa in 2003 (MW May 8, 2003).

Insiders say the bar was a “phenomenal” success as a limited edition last autumn. Cadbury claims it was reintroduced following a Facebook campaign last summer, although industry insiders say it was planned as a way to inspire some “Cadbury nostalgia” in consumers after it was hit by the salmonella scare (MWJune 21).

The limited-edition launch was backed by a long copy-press campaign, created by Publicis, which aimed to tap into consumer nostalgia by reminding people of other products and brands that were popular when Wispa was launched in the Eighties.

It is not clear whether the agency will create the relaunch campaign.

One source says it is a “surprise” that it is being reintroduced permanently because when it was axed, it was “down to the cost of production”.

Another insider adds that the Wispa variants, such as Wispa Gold, which contained caramel, are expected to be introduced as limited editions after the relaunch.

Cadbury axed Wispa as part of a move to bring a number of brands under the Dairy Milk umbrella brand. It axed Cadbury’s Caramel at the same time, but it was relaunched as Dairy Milk with Caramel.