Cadbury Dairy Milk

With sales up 1.9% to £371.8m in 2007, CDM is still the UK's biggest confectionery brand.

According to Kate Harding, head of customer relations at Cadbury Trebor Bassett (CTB), all the top four CDM skus – Cadbury Dairy Milk, Fruit & Nut, Whole Nut and Caramel – performed well last year and in both large block and singles.

But it was the brand's glass and a half gorilla campaign, first aired on the Big Brother final on 31 August 2007, which sealed its success.

“We could not have anticipated how well the gorilla campaign went down last year,” says Harding.

CTB's £6m investment in the campaign was nearly matched by the number of viewers – 5.5m – to the reality TV show final. In addition, reports Harding, a posting on You Tube attracted 10m viewers, making it the most watched ad ever.

It was needed. CTB had been plagued with product recalls in 2006 and 2007, as Harding explains.

“The ad was a way for us to re-engage with key customers and give them something enjoyable to watch. It promoted our glass and half products and gave customers a laugh and a half.”

Harding reveals another glass and a half production is planned for the first quarter of 2008 but won't be drawn on the theme except to say it will have “pieces of content to make customers smile”.

The brand is also working to lessen its environmental impact by reducing the packaging on its Easter egg products this year.

2007 £371.8m
2006 £364.7m
yoy change 1.9%