Arnott’s and The Australian Women’s Weekly have lifted the lid on a partnership that proves a modern twist on nostalgia isn’t just warm and fuzzy – it sells.
In a new episode of Content Conversations, the series where Are Media explores how leading brands connect with audiences through unique content partnerships, Arnott’s chief growth officer Jenni Dill and Are Media’s homes and lifestyle GM Jocelin Abbey unpack how a modern twist on classic Aussie snacks sparked an instant sell-out cookbook, a 30 per cent spike in Choc Ripple sales, and a masterclass in culture-led brand building.
The simplicity of the brief perhaps made the execution so potent: celebrate Arnott’s biscuits while inspiring Australians to reimagine them in the kitchen. As Dill puts it, “What we loved about it was it was a way to really celebrate the love for our iconic Aussie biscuits, things that we’ve grown up with for generations, that everybody has a story about”.
The Are Media produced cookbook and digital content set out to give people new ways to use products they already love. “We wanted to provide new ways to consume our products,” explained Dill. “From the choc ripple cake to ice cream sandwiches, all the way through to way more complicated things than I could possibly ever do. It’s just a real love story to our brands and our products”.
Abbey said the cultural fit with The Weekly was obvious. The brand has long been “very much the entry point to learning how to cook,” making it the perfect partner to reimagine Arnott’s products through the lens of home cooking. The goal, she said, was “to make it easy for people to pick up a packet of bikkies and turn it into something new that they could feel really proud of”.
The content strategy paired nostalgia—a proven emotional and commercial lever—with modern creativity. Think tiramisu Choc Ripple Cakes, Butternut Snap Mango Cheesecake, and QR-code-enabled step-by-step videos from chef Ness.
The book sold out online on launch night, with demand outstripping stock within hours. As Dill noted, the impact also quickly translated into product sales: “We’ve seen sales increase by about 30 per cent and doing nothing else. It’s just people making choc ripple cakes, sending in their photos to chef, tagging her in what they’re doing, and really starting to get involved”.
