The Cadbury Picnic case study discusses a digital marketing campaign aimed at revitalizing the brand, which had lost relevance and market share to competitors like Snickers. Utilizing a user-generated content approach, the campaign encouraged consumers to create ads that were aired on national television, resulting in significant sales growth for Picnic. Key takeaways include the importance of relevance, collaboration, and originality in marketing campaigns.

1. Cadbury Picnic
‘It’s No Picnic’
A Nutty & Caramel Filled Case Study
2010 Digital Marketing and Media Summit Melbourne
Thursday, December 2, 2010

2. The Problem
Cadbury Picnic had been forgotten and
urgently needed to get back on the public’s radar.

3. Forgotten Child
Picnic was losing Snickers was
sales and share gaining ground

4. Decline of ugly
‘Deliciously Ugly’ was used exclusively from 2000 - 2008

5. Time to shift
the consumers’
thinking

6. A Physical Eat.
(Brand Truth)

7. “Perpetual Teenager”
An irrepressible need to be silly, outrageous and
irresponsible, even at a time in life when they’re
expected to be putting aside these childish things.

8. Perpetual Teenager
“As seen on TV”

9. The Strategy
Harness the consumers’ creativity to
build a challenger brand.

10. THE PICNIC CHALLENGE

11. THE RECIPE
+ +
PART 1 PART 2 PART 3
Take the Add a big full-on And give him 30 seconds on
‘perpetual teenager’ Chocolate-y eat TV to stuff it in his mouth
who’s ready for
a CHALLENGE! (The same length as TV ad)

12. A slightly concerned
Client,
Legal &
Corporate Comms
Department

13. MAKING THE
IDEA A REALITY

14. #1
Collaboration
Client, media and creative agencies
working together to sell the ‘idea’

15. #2
Trust
Understanding each
others’ capabilities

16. #3
Originality
The power of doing something different

17. LETTING THE CONSUMER
TAKE CONTROL

19. STEP 1 HOW THE
Select your name
(Over 1,000 names)
MICRO-SITE
WORKED
STEP 4
Publish your
video
STEP 2
Make video using
a webcam
STEP 3
Choose your
voiceover

20. Over 500 ads were
created by consumers

21. Over 100 individual ads
aired on national TV

23. BEHIND THE SCENES

24. COMPLEXITY OF PRODUCTION PROCESS
1 4 7
Winner
Selec*on:
Winning
ads
into
Exact
*me
and
Game
of
skill
produc*on
–
date
of
their
ad
(Quality)
encoded
for
TV
going
to
air
2 5 8
Client
+
Legal
Talent
contacted
Dispatch
ads
and
match
Approval
(Release
Contract
Signed)
key
numbers
with
television
network
3 6 9
Media
purchase
Talent
alerted
Prompt
talent
to
share
spots
in
winner’s
via
eDM
date/*me
to
social
-­‐
You’re
going
to
be
on
TV!
city
networks

25. EXTENSIVE
SOCIAL MEDIA
SEEDING

26. Brand
Advocates
Chocolate Lovers Wannabes
SOCIAL
OUTREACH
DIGITAL PR
Industry Quasi
(Advertising) Famous Peoples
Cadbury
Employees

27. THE POWER OF
WANTING TO BE FAMOUS
STAR NOW
657
Applications
FEE $0

28. RESULTS
(They’re really good)

29. The Bottom Line
In February 2009 Picnic’s For the same period
retail sales grew by Snickers sales dropped
AC Nielson Track Data

30. The Bottom Line
Over the period of the campaign For the same period, Snickers
Picnic’s total market share grew lost market share by
AC Nielson Track Data

31. Media Spend
Cadbury Picnic’s total Snickers media spend
media spend in 2009 alone was
AC Nielson Track Data

32. Take Away
1. User generated content campaigns must
be relevant to consumer
2. Collaboration, Trust & Originality are key
to making big ideas a reality
3. Think laterally to find new target
audiences when planning social outreach
4. Clicks, impressions and downloads are
not the only mark of success
5. Buy a Cadbury Picnic and have a go
yourself.

34. Want to see more?
www.itsnopicnic.tv

35. Thank you.
Luc Wiesman
Head of Digital Strategy
George Patterson Y&R - Melbourne
Email: luc.wiesman@gpyr.com.au
Twitter: @luc_w