Casting New Zealand’s most loved coach and least likely movie star as our hero allowed us to redefine the sport endorsement category for New Zealand. For the first time in recent memory an All Black endorsement captured the imagination of the nation.

Tapping into the rising end of days’ trend, the campaign introduced New Zealand 

to an absurd fictional tale: the nation had taken biscuits for granted, triggering a catastrophic apocalypse. 

The primary execution was a film titled: ‘Apocalypse Steve Hansen, don’t lose your biscuit’.

Everything else built attention and scale for the film, with each touch point designed to replicate a huge movie release: television ads became trailers, consumer promotions became casting calls and outdoor became movie posters. Each execution encouraged customers to participate in the campaign, and directed them towards the biscuit aisle.

On the 13th of August 2017 2 x 60 second film trailers aired on TV, in Cinema and on YouTube offering two theories as to how the apocalypse may have begun; both focused on missing biscuits as the cause.

“Movie posters” emerged on billboards, buses, mall doors and cinema nationwide.

On the 3rd of September 2017 our heroes launched a rallying cry for Kiwis to play their “part” in the film, subverting typical consumer promotions associated with the All Blacks.

To maintain momentum, we ran dynamic countdown banners across the hottest entertainment sites, while an extended trailer ran across national television.

With all this momentum in place, on 9th of November 2017 the film hit 1,5000 cinema screens across the country as a special feature.

Finally, we released the film on YouTube, where it premiered as top content – showing the country how Arnott’s biscuits had saved the world.

Arnott’s total portfolio sales lifted +8.6%

- Based on YOY comparison sales during 13-week campaign period YOY (removing price promotion)

Featured products, ‘Shapes’ and ‘Tim Tams’ increased significantly

- Shapes sales up +33% YOY vs. total savory category +5.4%

- Tim Tams sales up +10% YOY vs. total chocolate category +0%

Total shopper entries: 1664

Total number of auditions: 430

Film views: Over 6.6 million

-          Total 18.4million earned media impressions

-          Over 1,500 screenings of the short film in cinema

-          Over 6.6 million views of our film content (1.4x NZ population)

‘Never, ever lose your biscuit’ became the catchphrase of 2017, with All Blacks quoting it in press conferences, news anchors dropping it into features.

Once the campaign message of ‘Never, ever lose your biscuit’ sunk in, Arnott’s biscuits were reinstated as a staple in the weekly shopping basket. Regular purchase (weekly) percentage increased 9.6%

The All Blacks are New Zealand’s most successful sports team, and many brands have taken advantage of that brand through sponsorships. Typical commercials utilize the youngest, fittest, best looking players. That’s the formula. No one had ever used the grumpy, old coach before. As a country that loves an underdog, Steve Hansen became the nation’s favorite anti-hero.

The film: ‘Apocalypse: Steve Hansen’ captured the nation’s imagination with a piece of branded content.

The campaign contained a number of inside jokes, landscape recreations, even few nudges at our competition. These small, but crucial gems helped the campaign become a cultural phenomenon.

Target Audience

Our audience (most of the NZ nation) considered biscuits an occasional treat. We needed to position them as a domestic staple.

While 80% of the country brought at least one pack of Arnott’s biscuits annually, only 8% included our products as part of their weekly shop. People loved what we were selling, but our biscuits were easy to ignore and leave behind on the shelf.

Approach

Every piece of communication had to become a talking point; earning a disproportionate amount of attention, creating momentum through to purchase. We needed to capture the attention of the nation: fast tracking scale and resurrecting the love for Arnott’s biscuit portfolio.

Call to action

“Never, ever lose your biscuit,” was a direct appeal from Steve Hansen to the consumer. As a line, ‘Never lose your biscuit’ was naturally colloquial, easily internalized and ready-made to substitute into consumer’s ‘stay calm’ situations.

Arnott’s range of biscuits were popular NZ classics, but the shelves were awash with more interesting or permissible snacking alternatives. Sales had gone stale.

Investment across the category increased (+10% YOY), but Arnott’s budgets had shrunk, (-30% YOY), reflecting the drop in annual sales revenue.

The Arnott’s range includes 15+ different biscuits and savory crackers. Previously these products had been promoted individually. But with shrinking budgets - the decision was made to resurrect the entire portfolio via an Arnott’s master-brand approach.

Reverse YOY sales declines and re-establish Arnott’s relevance to modern day kiwi life.

A master-brand approach meant appealing to a broad and varied target audience, with products that fit a range of different mindsets.

Leverage Arnott’s sponsorship of the All Black’s rugby team

Business Objective: Achieve +3% sales growth across Arnott’s portfolio

Reach and Engagement: Reinstate Arnott’s as New Zealand’s biscuit choice with a famous, engaging campaign