Integrated Impact Marketing Newsletter

This week, we're landing somewhere in the middle with Toblerone's recent ad. It's a campaign that dances on the edge of brilliance, almost hitting a grand slam, but ultimately falls a little short of being a full-blown "hit."

Toblerone: - ⭐⭐⭐ All face, no crunch!

WHY IT WORKS?

The Unapologetic Hedonism is "Thumb-Stopping": This ad is shocking, and that's precisely why it works in today's crowded media landscape. The slow-motion, close-up shots of people stuffing their faces with Toblerone are anything but demure. They're raw, real, and frankly, a bit gross, but in a way that makes you stop scrolling. It's a bold embrace of hedonism, saying "this is how good it feels to just devour Toblerone, rules be damned." This visual audacity makes it incredibly effective across visual platforms like out-of-home, social media, and TV – it’s almost impossible to ignore. The exaggerated facial expressions, the sheer commitment to the act of eating, creates a memorable and distinctive visual signature for the brand.

Relatability in the Messy Joy: While it might not be the most graceful portrayal of eating, there's a strong undercurrent of relatability. Who hasn't, at some point, ungracefully devoured something they truly love when no one's watching? The ad taps into that uninhibited, personal joy of indulgence that doesn't need to be pretty. It’s a liberation from the often overly-polished and aspirational food advertising we see. This authenticity, even in its extreme, resonates by making the act of eating Toblerone feel like a true, unbridled pleasure.

WHAT DID IT MISS?

Missed ASMR Opportunity : Here's where the ad almost reached perfection. The visual emphasis on the act of eating, the close-ups of the chocolate breaking and faces contorting, screams for an ASMR element. Imagine the satisfying crunch as a piece of Toblerone is bitten into, or the subtle smear of melting chocolate. Integrating these sounds would elevate the sensory experience, making the ad even more immersive and truly "thumb-stopping" on social media. It would also cleverly extend its reach to audio-only platforms like radio and Spotify, amplifying the campaign's impact across diverse channels. This oversight is a minor "had it" in an otherwise impactful "hit."