Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R launches a new campaign for
Thorntons this month with a series of commercials which celebrate the
concept of ’chocolate heaven’.
The campaign stars a series of children in a variety of settings who are
asked to describe their idea of heaven. Responses vary from ’everyone
speaks French’ to ’if you don’t wear clean pants you can’t get in’.
In one scene, a girl declares, ’I think my goldfish went there,’ while
behind her, her two brothers snigger and point to the family cat.
In another, a boy in the middle of a thunderstorm says heaven is a place
where ’the roof leaks’.
One boy dressed in a space suit defines heaven as ’the place where they
make the stars’, while another lies on a bench looking up at the sky,
saying wistfully, ’it’s up there.’
Sarah Neath, the head of brand communications at Thorntons, said: ’We
have a powerful brand idea for Thorntons, and this campaign is a very
contemporary, charming articulation of that idea. It also reflects the
radical changes that have taken place at Thorntons.’
Thorntons stores have been revamped to convey a softer image which is
designed to encourage people to think of Thorntons chocolate as an
everyday treat.
The ads were written by Pip Bishop and art directed by Chris
Hodgkiss.
They were directed by Kevin Thomas through Godman.
Thorntons, which was one of Rainey Kelly’s founding clients in 1993, has
400 stores nationwide.
Rainey Kelly first launched the ’chocolate heaven since 1911’ campaign
in 1995. Thorntons has spent pounds 3 million on advertising in the past
year, with media through New PHD Compass.
