In True British Style, McVitie’s Stands Up to Copycats in the Snack Aisle

Legend has it that a McVitie’s biscuit (or “cookie” in American parlance) triggered an argument between two members of The Beatles. Such is the power of McVitie’s treats over British snackers that they could even threaten to break up the Fab Four.

McVitie’s is a British icon – but the trouble with icons is that they are often imitated. To cement its place in culture, the snack company is running a campaign claiming to be the definitive biscuit brand in a competitive category. 

Created by agency TBWA\London, the master brand campaign is the first under the “True Originals” global platform, which McVitie’s introduced earlier this year.  

Though McVitie’s is more than 180 years old, with a portfolio of recognizable household favorites, including chocolate digestives, Jaffa Cakes and Hobnobs, the sector has become crowded with copycats. McVitie’s is also one of many food companies to have increased its prices while shoppers face the cost of living crisis. 

“It’s a heart of the nation brand, part of our lives since we were kids,” said TBWA\London chief creative officer Andy Jex. “The power and emotion behind the brand have to come to the fore like never before.”  

The British way

The ad reminds viewers that McVitie’s is the original and best biscuit — “a boastful statement,” Jex observed. “But you’ve got to do it in a British way.” 

As such, McVitie’s tone of voice is as British as it gets: “rough around the edges, knowing, down to earth,” he continued. “We’re telling you how great we are, but with humor and a smile.” 

The voiceover opens with the line, “There can be only one,” before listing examples of originals contrasted against their poor imitators. While there’s only one King (Elvis Presley), there are plenty of Elvis impersonators. Meanwhile, a goat wearing a soccer jersey fails to live up to the sport’s true G.O.A.T.

The joke at the end is that even the ad’s narrator is an oft-copied cultural icon: British broadcast journalist Sir Trevor McDonald. After showing a fake newsreader behind a microphone, the camera pans to a flashy TV studio where the original Sir Trevor has been doing the job all along — with a real McVitie’s biscuit in hand. 

“We want to make people smile by delivering a message that’s meaningful to the brand but also captures the energy and appeal of the category itself,” said McVitie’s marketing director, James King. 

No sweet talk

The commercial’s director, Pulse Films’ Sam Pilling, set out to “make an ad that felt nothing like a biscuit ad,” he told Adweek.

This approach informed everything from the soundtrack (recorded by rapper Little Simz) to the tone and visual style of the film. 

Tonally, the characters break the fourth wall in a knowing nod to viewers, while standing as “little portraits of Britain,” Pilling explained. “In classic British fashion, they are not ‘the one.’ They are a bit crappy and not the finished article, and yet each character has a real pride in what they are doing.” 

While filming, Pilling and his crew used a portraiture style “with whip-pans and zooms to add some fun and dynamism to the whole thing.” The director also insisted on shooting with 35mm film in a 4:3 aspect ratio, which helped create the photographic aesthetic and fit the circular biscuits in a square frame. 

Making a commercial that will stand apart in a category known for saccharine advertising was important to appeal to a new generation of consumers, King explained.

“We want to remind [consumers] of the role McVitie’s has played in their lives, but not just rest on that heritage alone,” he said. “As an icon, we also need to communicate in an iconic, epic way.”

CREDITS:

Brand: McVitie’s 
Client: Pladis
Creative Agency: TBWA\London
CEO: Larissa Vince
CCO: Andy Jex, Pete Khoury
ECD: Paul Jordan
Creative Teams: Ben Brazier, Johnny Ruthven, George Low, Shane Forbes
CPO: Melody Sylvester
Snr Producer: Megan Sutton
Assistant Producer: Haben Ghebrehiwet
CSO: Sandie Dilger
Strategy Partner: Jess Smith
Strategist: Bhrena Marino
Business Director: Gareth Hughes
Account Director: Max Phillips
Snr Account Manager: Marcella Zanin
Director: Sam Pilling
DOP: Kasper Tuxen    
Production Company: Pulse Films
Managing Director: James Sorton 
Head of Production: Chris Harrison
Producer: Neil Andrews
Production Manager: Francesca Resteghini 
Casting: Kharmel Casting
Production Designer: Chelsea Oliver 
Wardrobe Stylists: Gleb Ignatov & Julia Vojtovic 
Hair & Make-Up: Louise Meadows 
Service Production Co: The Production Factory
Service Producer: Eileen Gartside 
Service Production Manager: Benjamin Ross
Editor: Thomas Grove Carter, Trim
Post-production: The Mill
Grade: Jean-Clement, Company 3
Sound: Ben Gulvin, Wave
Media Agency: MG OMD
Head of Strategy: Matthew Philips
Executive Director: Tom Cocker
Business Director: Ryan Cummins
Account Director: Hannah Marsden
Head of Social: Fee Meynell
Social Account Director: Sharnie Lewis-Burton
Music Supervision: Ronnie Olubayo, Theodore
Track: Gorilla
Artist: Little Simz
Label: AWAL
Publisher: Forever Living Originals
Writers: Simbiatu Ajikawo & Dean Cover