Following the formation of the candy ‘master brand’ Maynards Bassetts at the start of 2016, the confectionary giant has teamed up with Wieden+Kennedy London to launch their first major advertising campaign in 20 years. The brands came together in an effort to become the number one adult candy brand, and with this incredibly creative campaign, they might just be on to something.
Featuring iconic Maynards Bassetts brands including Wine Gums, Jelly Babies, and Bertie’s Jelly Mix, “A Tasty Intermission” is part of a £4 million investment from the brand, which draws on the signature quirkiness of each sweet while injecting a new sense of irreverent play into the range.
“We've teamed up with several creatives to come up with a set of tasty intermissions that will bring these well-loved British brands to the forefront of customers’ minds” Katie Bashford, Brand Manager at Joyful Candy
Based on the idea that each Maynards Bassetts sweet is a little, self-contained moment of fun and a delicious pause from the humdrum of everyday life, the campaign includes 12 distinctly off-the-wall “Intermissions.”
Each spot was directed by talents spanning animation, art, film, and other creative fields, calling upon the skills of everyone from BAFTA nominees to brilliantly over-the-top illustrators. Each was given a simple, yet focused brief: To create a moment of sweet-inspired madness that is just as striking and colourful as the sweets themselves.
No two spots are completely alike, yet each radiates an unmistakably sweet and zany sensibility. The campaign precedes the future launch of a new Maynards Bassetts product; the Berties Jelly Mix, which will also be accompanied by an intermission of its own.
A Chewy Intermission: Sheep
A Squidgy Intermission: Aerobics
A Chunky Intermission: Ants
A Mixed-Up Intermission: Dancers
A Chunky Intermission: Drummer
A Squidgy Intermission: Affair
“It’s been exciting to embrace a new way of working with such a diverse group of talented directors and animators. We think it’s a real thigh-slapper of a campaign and can’t wait to see it on-air” Wieden+Kennedy Creatives Max Batten and Ben Shaffery
Innovative and contemporary, the intermissions were created by W+K London and their numerous collaborators using a range of techniques including icing sugar animation, stop-motion, and psychedelic-esque 2D animation, to name but a few. “A Tasty Intermission” launched this Monday (April 25) with “A Chunky Intermission: Drummer.”
The campaign will run over six months, with various spots being rolled out over this period. The spots were directed by Chris Bristow, Cartwright Gantz, Rob Flowers, Jonny Sabbagh & Will Harper, Nicos Livesey, Tom O’Meara, Seb Pietrovito (AKA Sebaldo) & Jack Sachs. We're struggling to pick a favourite, but the Sheep one is definitely up there!
