Cadbury Flake Bus

Client: Cadbury

In the summer of 2023, the British seaside (and media) went into meltdown due to a ‘temporary quality issue’ with one of the nation’s most beloved summer treats – the Cadbury Flake 99. Due to a production change they had become...too flaky, making it impossible to serve up in a classic 99 ice-cream cone. ​

In 2024, Cadbury’s 200th year of operation, with production issues fixed, we needed a comeback story and were tasked with reconnecting consumers with this iconic summer treat. Our mission was clear – generate significant positive editorial coverage for the iconic product with an event that would delight ice cream vendors, showcase Cadbury's generosity and reignite passion for the Flake 99, driving positive PR, improved reputation and consumer buzz.​

We decided to solve an even bigger problem – the fact one in ten British families has never been to the seaside. We put on the Flake Bus, a free bus service taking underserved communities from across the UK to the beach for the first time - and enjoy their first seaside Flake 99. The Flake Bus drove saw a wealth of earned media coverage, with over 200 pieces landing across several sectors, totalling over 300M estimated editorial reach. Our focus on local online news and local radio was a powerful weapon in our mission to impress the ice cream vendors as they all had it on in their vans. In terms of business impact, during summer 2024 (June, July and August) Mondelez saw a 15%