How Mars got 75 billion impressions from people talking about Bounty

The classic Celebrations tub squares off against stiff competition each Christmas in the seasonal chocolate sales war.

To cut through the festive noise Mars Wrigley needed a campaign that would get the nation talking, drive engagement, media coverage and heightened share of voice. With research revealing Bounty to be the most divisive option in the Celebrations selection, Mars Wrigley announced the coconut chocolates were being removed due to “public demand”.

Working with agency Taylor Herring, the confectionary giant sought to “weaponise” Bounty fans globally to stand up for the much-maligned chocolate.

Limited edition ‘No Bounty’ tubs were sent to influencers and journalists, as well as broadcast, digital and print media. The team stoked the conversation on social media with a steady drip feed of content to keep the debate raging. This social push was supported by the launch of the ‘#BringBackBounty’ TV spot, timed to ride the seasonal advert news agenda.

The Bounty debate went global. Capital Radio, BBC Radio One and Good Morning Britain all discussed the chocolate’s plight, while ITV News dedicated a three-minute segment to the story. The future of Bounty even graced the pages of the New York Times and featured on Australian daytime TV.

Overall, the campaign generated 6,502 pieces of coverage globally, 1,622 broadcast mentions and 178 pieces of print and online coverage UK-wide. Some 42,700 unique users posted about Bounty on Twitter during the campaign period, while 80 pieces of TikTok content were produced on the topic.

Crucially, the campaign achieved an estimated global reach of more than 75 billion, helping Mars Wrigley scoop the 2023 Marketing Week Award for PR and Brand Storytelling.