How Cadbury Milk Tray aims to stay relevant in the digital age as it celebrates centenary
Cadbury aims to keep up with the times with the relaunch of its iconic “Milk Tray Man” campaign, taking to social media to call on the British public to find a worthy successor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-RiQaw5OBs
The £4million multichannel campaign, which launches today (9 October) in honour of the brand’s centenary, will run for six weeks. The brand expects to name a winner in the new year.
The ad will appear across cinema, social media, in-store and out of home and will direct consumers to the website where anyone can apply for the chance to be the new milk tray man.
“It would have been remiss of us to repeat the old milk tray man in the 70s and 80s, they have served their purpose. With this campaign we are looking to the future,” Tony Bilsborough, Cadbury’s head of external communication told Marketing Week.
The milk tray man last appeared on the nation’s TV screens 13 years ago. This time around, the brand hopes to make waves on social media instead.
“Back in 2002 the internet was around but social media as a concept didn’t really exist. Now there is the opportunity to play with many more platforms. It’s not about simply repeating the TV ad but about having fun,” he commented.
The campaign also fits in with the company’s wider marketing strategy by putting a bigger part of its spend behind digital platforms.
“Digital will become a bigger proportion of our marketing spend. This activity is a perfect example of how that can be done creatively in an engaging way,” he said.
In terms of what Cadbury is looking for in its new milk tray man, the successful applicant will have to fit in with modern tastes, demonstrating a level of thoughtfulness as well as adventure.
“The next milk tray man doesn’t have to be the next Bear Grylls, he has to be more than that. Our research showed that the women who receive milk tray expect a little more thoughtfulness,” he said.
In pure marketing terms, the brand has also introduced three new chocolate flavours and changed the packaging.
“This demonstrates that milk tray continues to adapt to different tastes and circumstances throughout the decades and remain as relevant now as it was when it launched during the First World War,” he said.
- Find out more about above-the-line advertising and social media at this year’s Festival of Marketing, where you can listen to speakers on the “Social” and “Multichannel” stages. For more information go to www.festivalofmarketing.com.
