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Adopting a back-to-school mentality beyond September
How to harness the positivity of new possibilities all year round
TBWA’s Paul Jordan breaks down Britain's obsession with biscuits
Sometimes we can’t agree to disagree. Some issues are just too meaty, raw and complex for a polite difference of opinion. So on these issues, we just have to stand our ground, dig our heels firmly in and fight tooth and nail for what we passionately believe in.
But here’s the thing - we Brits bloody love a good barney. Get us on the right subject and we’ll deliver a heartfelt rant or an impassioned polemic until the cows come home. But these days, there are fewer and fewer opportunities for these kinds of red-blooded debates.
Except for one; our beloved British biscuits. They embody what it means to be British. We absolutely love to debate about these small brown baked goods. And the best part? No one ever gets too upset because biscuits are a completely safe space to give it to your opponent with both barrels.
Brits do biscuits better than anyone and we’ve been doing it longer too. Given that we know so much about biscuits, it’s hardly surprising that we all get so opinionated about them.
Paul Jordan, ECD, TBWA\London
And what’s even better about biscuits is that there’s so much to fall out about, which one is best for dunking in your tea (Hobnobs obvs); where they should live - cupboard, fridge or hidden in a sock drawer; which way up to eat a chocolate digestive; orange vs mint Club…
So why do we Brits care so much about biscuits? Well, it’s because biscuits are what we’re really good at. The French have their wine and cheese, the Italians pasta, pizza, coffee and gelato, but in Britain we’ve got biccies. We lead the world when it comes to biscuits, probably the universe even. Brits do biscuits better than anyone and we’ve been doing it longer too. Given that we know so much about biscuits, it’s hardly surprising that we all get so opinionated about them.
But there is one particular baked brown goods debate that divides opinion more than any other. It’s the McVitie’s Jaffa debate - is it a cake or is it a biscuit? It has divided families, communities and even the nation. Nicola Sturgeon once raised it in The House of Commons. It’s the debate that just rumbles on and on - despite the fact that it clearly says “Cakes” on the box and McVitie’s even went to court to prove to HMRC that it is, in fact, a cake.
Apparently, when a cake goes stale it goes hard and when a biscuit is stale it goes soft. But despite the considerable weight of all this evidence, people still love to argue the toss. Perhaps it has something to do with the size of them or the fact that even though they are called cakes - they are sold in the biscuit aisle. Or maybe, just maybe it’s because we Brits really love to have some beef about biscuits.
So for McVitie’s latest Jaffa Cakes campaign, we decided to pour some petrol on the flames of this debate. We figured we’d do things a little differently though. Instead of doing what most other brands do and get consumers to debate or vote for us. McVitie’s have to come out swinging – we are going to try to shut the debate down once and for all…in the hopes that it will only set it raging even more fiercely than ever.
Why have Jaffa Cakes taken this punchy approach? McVitie’s brand platform, “True Originals” is home to all its iconic biscuit brands, Choc Digs, Rich Tea, Gingernuts etc. But in this family of True Originals, Jaffa Cakes are a little different, very much the rebellious teens of the family. A bit mischievous, aggy and joyfully subversive. It’s this brand personality that inspired the tone and content of this work with the campaign line; “It’s a Cake! You biscuit”. It’s Jaffa sticking its hand in consumers' faces and trying to shut the debate down. Knowing full well that it will likely provoke an equal and opposite reaction - and it will all start kicking off. Just the way lots of teenagers like it. Right at the centre of a maelstrom of attention.
The most provocative member of the McVitie’s family is throwing a gauntlet down to a nation of passionate biscuit debaters. It’s Jaffa Cakes provoking a reaction by saying “They’re Cakes – Wot of it?”. Let the debate rage on.
Paul is the ECD at TBWA\London, prior this he worked at BBC Creative, and was ECD at Engine, WCRS and McGarryBowen. He has worked with iconic brands such as Honda, Branston, Anchor, adidas and Nike. His creative work includes the world's first TV ad shot on a mobile, an hour-long TV programme for Nike and a string of famous campaigns for Honda.
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