Whittaker’s has expanded its award-winning Hello Chocolate Lovers brand platform with four new films created by Bastion Aotearoa, celebrating the mischievous rituals and behaviours that unite devoted chocolate fans.
The new campaign builds on the platform launched in 2024, which sought to capture the unique relationship consumers have with the iconic chocolate brand. Following strong commercial performance and emotional resonance with audiences – as well as Effie Award wins for its strategic approach – the latest work digs deeper into the playful habits that define self-confessed “Chocolate Lovers”.
The campaign spans four films – Thirsty, Kitchen Blind Spot, Better to Receive and Favourite Walk – each highlighting familiar moments of chocolate-related mischief across the Whittaker’s range, from Blocks and Slabs to Pods.
Soraya Cottin, chief marketing officer at Whittaker’s, said the platform had struck a chord by making consumers feel understood.
“The platform has resonated strongly across our markets. What’s been particularly notable is how Chocolate Lovers have responded to feeling genuinely understood. These new films build on that by celebrating the behaviours that real Chocolate Lovers recognise in themselves,” she said.
According to Bastion Aotearoa, further consumer research revealed that playful, slightly mischievous behaviour sits at the heart of genuine chocolate fandom.
Ryan Jordan, head of strategy at Bastion Aotearoa, said the creative direction was built around a single behavioural insight.
“What we discovered, as we spoke to more Chocolate Lovers, is that mischievousness is where the real love lives. It’s the intensity of love that makes Whittaker’s Chocolate Lovers behave differently from casual chocolate eaters,” he said.
“The shift in this work is applying that single behavioural truth across the range. We’re showing that Chocolate Lovers express that same love differently, whether they’re sharing a Block, gifting Pods, or stealing a moment alone with a Slab.”
Bastion Aotearoa chief creative officer Oli Green said the campaign aimed to reflect authentic consumer behaviour rather than exaggerate it.
“These scripts work because they’re true to how Chocolate Lovers actually behave. We’re celebrating something people are genuinely protective of, so there’s no distance between the audience and the behaviour on screen,” he said.
“When a Chocolate Lover watches these films, we hope they will feel understood. We’re saying, yes, you do this, and yes, it’s what makes you a Chocolate Lover, not just a Chocolate Liker.”
The campaign is rolling out across television, digital and social channels in New Zealand and Whittaker’s export markets.
Video Links:
Blind Spot Creamy Milk 30s
Favourite Walk – Peanut Slab 30s
Blind Spot Creamy Milk 15s
Favourite Walk – Peanut Slab 15s
Credits:
Brand: Whittaker’s
Creative: Bastion Aotearoa
Media: MBM
