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CONFECTIONERY CHOCOLATE BLOCKS AND BRAND SUPPORT EMERGE AS WINNERS As Wunderman Thompson Managing Partner, Shopper, Georgia Bruton tells Retail World, confectionery from chocolate to gum is a diverse category. “This means the way in which consumers have been interacting with this category across the pandemic period varies greatly from product to product,” she said. She points out that the market for products more likely to be bought on impulse, such as gum and smaller lollies, appears to have declined. On the other hand, she says, based on conversations with major retailers it appears that the “good old block of chocolate seems to be deemed an essential to many Aussies”, with sales of the block category spiking across the lockdown period. “Sharing a family block at home in front of the telly is a simple pleasure that in this time of isolation is going to be more highly valued by many,” she said. “And we know that from a physiological perspective, chocolate’s impact on the brain’s ‘pleasure pathway’ results in a ‘feel good’ effect that probably doesn’t hurt right now.” Ms Bruton highlights that chocolate’s role as providing a “familiar, affordable, and reassuring moment in an otherwise uncertain and mundane day” can be seen throughout social media, with hashtags and comments such as “thank goodness for chocolate”, “my coping mechanisms have been stuffing my face with chocolate” and #isoloation #chocolate #spreadthejoy all featured together. The role of corporations and brands, she says, is to step up and show consumers how they can play a role in their lives and society. “From a consumer perspective, brands need to find a way of being a ‘good lockdown partner’ and switch from selling to consumers to supporting them,” she said. “Ongoing reassurance through communications that talk to the steps being taken to protect customers and team members – as well as prompt solutions to address consumer concerns – is required. “From a community perspective, we’ve seen how corporations and brands have found ways to show how much they care about communities and people.” This, Ms Bruton says, has been evident in Mars donating thank-you packs to frontline workers. KitKat has also given more than 250,000 ‘thank you’ labelled KitKat bars to thousands of healthcare workers. Cadbury, too, is indicating its care and appreciation by acknowledging its own 1800 team members across Australia for working tirelessly throughout the lockdown period to ensure Australians have access to Cadbury chocolates. The confectionery company has also “surprised and delighted” more than 60 community groups and businesses with chocolate deliveries as a small token of gratitude. Some of the groups include Deliveroo Ride partners, The Royal Children’s Hospital, Disability Services Australia and Kimberly-Clark. It doesn’t stop there, with Cadbury also delivering chocolates to thousands of promotion winners to share with friends, colleagues or family members that they nominated for ‘going the extra mile’. Paul Chatfield commented that recent events demonstrate that “there really is a glass and a half in all of us”. “It’s not about grand gestures, but about the small acts of kindness which so many Australians have shown,” he said. “True to this spirit, we hope to shine a light on some of the unsung heroes who go the extra mile each day.” Cadbury partners with Deliveroo to treat In June, Cadbury partnered with Deliveroo to give away thousands of chocolate products. For a week, people who ordered food from Deliveroo Editions’ restaurants were treated to some Cadbury chocolates while stocks lasted. The ‘Generous Aussies’ campaign included one million Cadbury products being gifted as “a small gesture” from the confectionery company, applauding all Australians who have been and continue to look out for one another, according to Mr Chatfield. 54 RETAIL WORLD AUG, 2020