Client: Nestle Rowntree
Brand: Yorkie
Project: Its not for girls
Media: Press
Its not for girls

DESCRIPTION

Brief

On the eve of it’s 25th anniversary, sales penetration and awareness of the beloved British confectionary brand Yorkie were declining, and had been for years. The brand, which had been built on celebrating masculinity, had reached a stand still.

 

Meanwhile, the world hadn’t stood still. Large, hefty confectionary was no longer unique – countless had become King. The mainstream market was being squeezed by the emerging premium segment. And in all areas of life, it seemed, women were getting in on male acts – football, pubs, beer, jobs. In this environment, Yorkie had become invisible.

 

It was vital for the brand to differentiate itself in order to have a sustainable future. We had to reinforce the brand’s masculinity, intensify the impact, and modernise the media context.

Solution
Research revealed that society was moving towards ‘re-genderisation’ – celebrating the difference between men and women in society. At the same time, the rise of feminism has led to a decreased role for men, and few areas remained that they could claim for their own. Girl power had gone too far – was there nothing sacred any more?

Based on these insights, we positioned Yorkie as ‘not for girls’. It was controversial, timely, audacious and a metabolic jolt. Yorkie wanted to start reclaiming things for men, starting with their chocolate. The brand’s masculine heritage and product attributes meant that it was already seen as blokey, and stood out in a female dominated category. This high-risk strategy gave men some territory back whilst at the same time challenging women.

Having a media-neutral, single-minded proposition based on real insight was the key to the success of Yorkie ‘It’s not for girls’. Yorkie experienced a 43% sales uplift, and after the advertising period the brand was seen to have achieved an ongoing base rate value share increase of 20%.

The gender divide amongst consumers was restored to 65:35. Working in a multitude of media channels meant that the campaign found its way into the national consciousness. Yorkie received over 1,000 consumer letters. People were asking, “I heard it’s not suitable for girls. My niece ate one, will she be ok?”, and “How dare you say Yorkie is not for girls. I’m eating one now.”

Yorkie had its mojo back.