Cadbury undergoes its first major design rebrand in 50 years

Cadbury undergoes its first major design rebrand in 50 years

Cadbury has undergone its first major rebranding in 50 years for its flagship Cadbury and Dairy Milk bars, which includes a redrawn wordmark, new iconography and typography for its long-established chocolate series.

The key image revamp has been created by design agency Bulletproof, which created the distinctive restyled look amid a period when consumers are seeking more natural, authentic, and higher quality product offers.

Customers in Australia will be the first to see the new identity hit shelves in Australia next month, followed by South Africa and Malaysia later in the year, with the UK and Ireland, launching at the start of 2021.

As the business explained to Confectionery Production, the revitalisation of the Cadbury wordmark drew inspiration from the hand of founder John Cadbury himself, to create a newly devised signature with a more contemporary feel.

Taking cues from the archives, the Dairy Milk logotype has been re-designed and a distinctive Dairy Milk pattern based on the original 1905 pack has been created, which gives greater depth and purpose to the iconic Cadbury purple and provides an element of discovery on the packaging.

The iconic Glass and a Half logo has also been redesigned so that it links directly with the chocolate chunk, further emphasising the quality of the ingredients and the classic creamy taste of Cadbury Dairy Milk.

Cadbury undergoes its first major design rebrand in 50 years

Furthermore, as we recently reported, the classic bars, which are produced under parent manufacturer Mondelēz International, were recently voted as the world’s favourite chocolate in a consumer study that analysed Google search patterns. It revealed that Dairy Milk was searched for online an average 466,000 times around the world. It was voted the top product in a total of 78 nations.

Last summer, the brand released a 30% reduced sugar version that responded to Public Health England calls for manufacturers to reduce sugar levels by 20% by 2020. The company has also received much attention for reportedly been considering expanding the series with a vegan version, though it has confirmed that no such product is being directly commissioned at present as it continues to refine potential recipes.

Cadbury undergoes its first major design rebrand in 50 years

With interest and demand for sustainably sourced products increasing, Cadbury wanted to share more about its long-standing commitment to cocoa farmers and the environment, on the new packaging.

The Cocoa Life sustainability programme has been integral to the brand for the past eight years helping to train 140,000 cocoa farmers to look after the environment; helping to plant 1.2 million trees in cocoa regions across the world and helping to ensure cocoa farming is a viable livelihood. This has ensured that every Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate chunk is 100% sustainably sourced.

Ben Wicks, Global Brand Director at Cadbury said: “Cadbury Dairy Milk is a true icon both in the UK and worldwide – it’s the nation’s favourite chocolate brand, with a rich heritage and feeling of nostalgia for many consumers. Over the last three years we have been re-connecting with our roots, which is why the new identity is grounded in the original intent behind the brand and celebrates our unique product credentials and iconic distinctive assets in a modern way”.

Nick Rees, Global Creative Director at Bulletproof added:  “We wanted to recapture the very spirit of Cadbury so part of the research process involved digging into the Cadbury archives to reinterpret its iconic visual cues to create a modern and playful identity that still has a clear recognition for consumers.”