McVitie's
How does
your cookie crumble?
 

​​​​​​Insights:

The current cost of living increase presents challenges for the grocery sector across the board as people look to manage their spend. However, snacking is up 6% compared to 2019, as people seek escape through small moments of indulgence (Mintel, 2024). 

 

Sweet biscuits have a strong image as an 'affordable treat' and are currently being consumed an average of three times a week by people with 'ok' and 'struggling' finances. The biscuit category is well-positioned as a whole for growth as people seek out 'affordable treats' amongst the cost of living crisis (Marketing Week, 2023). 

 

As consumers seek out affordable yet indulgent treats, there is an opportunity to leverage sweet baking, such as homemade cookies and cakes for sales return. Brands can encourage occasions for baking affordable desserts at home that meet consumers' heightened need for a treat on a budget. They can communicate baking as a family-friendly leisure activity (AHDB, 2022). This is backed by previous data which found an increase in baking during times of recession, with 43% of parents saying they bake to occupy their children (Mintel, 2020).

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Similarly, Mintel (2024) forecast that new pairings, textures, shapes, sensations and flavours borrowed from other dessert and bakery categories will dominate the biscuit market as consumers look to relieve cost of living stress by having fun with increasingly indulgent combinations. 

 

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Solution:

Allow consumers take ownership of the British originality at the heart of the McVitie's brand and present them with new ways to enjoy these iconic biscuits. How Does Your Cookie Crumble? builds on the quirky originality established by McVitie's True Originals campaign. It invites consumers to tap into their own creativity and originality by showcasing delicious homemade dessert inventions that incorporate their favourite McVitie's biscuits. The campaign promotes brand affinity and highlights that while the cookie might crumble differently in households across the nation, we're all united in our love for yummy homemade sweet treats.  

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In addition, How Does Your Cookie Crumble? encourages people to consume, share and enjoy McVitie's biscuits in ways that foster quality time with family and friends. It open up the brand's products to a wider audience by expanding their consumption category from a "treat to accompany a hot drink" to being a fun, versatile ingredient as well as by bringing people together amidst a recession.

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The campaign reminds consumers that home baking is an opportunity for fun, affordable indulgence amongst rising living costs and the stress of the daily grind. When times get tough, McVitie's provide moments of entertainment and tastiness! Through this work, McVitie's can reposition their products to feature at the centre of baking occasions,  capitalising on the positive associations of home baking and helping to distance the brand from the stigma of UPFs. 

 

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Incorporating a combination of paid, owned and earned media, this campaign takes the form of OOH billboards, TV spots, PPC and social media advertising, a bespoke recipe sharing platform, sponsored content, a competition and a food festival event.

 

OOH billboards will showcase pre-existing recipes using McVitie's biscuits that have been selected from different households across the nation. These posters include a call to action to find the full recipe on the brand's website. On the McVitie's website is a bespoke recipe sharing platform featuring a range of sweet treats such as s'mores, hot chocolate, mousses, milkshakes, ice cream, crumbles, pies, cheesecakes, trifles, chocolate spreads, banana loaf, cereal bars, tray bakes, brownies and cupcakes. Visitors can use the platform to access recipes, share their own McVitie's recipes and upload images of their renditions of the treats. The site also encourages visitors to share their creations on social media, tagging McVitie's for the chance to win a year's supply of biscuits and tickets to the McVitie's Cookie Crumble event. This is part of a competition inviting individuals, families, households and friends to showcase the original ways in which they enjoy McVitie's online.

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The McVitie's Cookie Crumble event will combine elements of a food market and music festival to showcase a range of artists and bands, as well as offer a tantalising array of sweet and savory treats inspired by McVitie's biscuits and the user-generated recipes on their website.

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Building on the recent buzz around McVitie's We're a cake, you biscuit! Jaffa Cakes campaign, by once again courting controversy in referring to its biscuit products as cookies, McVitie's has the potential to spark further press, attention and conversation across traditional and social media.

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The campaign will sponsor both TV content such as The Great British Bake Off (consumed by families and older people) as well as TikTok and Instagram influencer content (consumed by Gen Z and Millenials), in order to target a broad range of demographics and generations. Sponsored TV content could take the form of endorsed baking challenges that feature McVitie's products as part of the ingredients. Sponsored social media content could challenge influencers to recreate and taste viral McVitie's recipes.​​