In one of the more prominent Easter campaigns unveiled so far this year, Milka is telling an inclusive tale of an Easter egg hunt, showing two children coming up with a way their blind friend can participate in the traditional search for chocolate and other treats.
The act of tenderness plays out in a 60-second spot showing the kids creating their whimsical hunt by using string placed throughout a garden to guide their friend along the path to eggs and a Milka chocolate bunny. Then they share a snack as the adults look on, touched by the care the friends have for the blind boy.
The theme of the “First Egg Hunt” spot ties into the Mondelēz International chocolate brand’s focus on tenderness, which played out earlier this year in a spot showing a boy helping a neighbor search for his dog.
In the Easter spot, Milka cast Coenraad, a 10-year-old blind boy, in the central role. The campaign was developed in consultation with two organizations that support visually impaired people, Deutschen Blinden- und Sehbehindertenverband (DBSV) and the Federation des Aveugles de France (FDAF). Along with the main TV spot, there is a version of the ad with an audio description to make it accessible to those who cannot see the story as it appears on the screen.
“The DBSV and FDAF consulted with us upfront on the creative concept for the ad and throughout the full creative process,” Laura Gray, European senior brand manager, seasonals, at Mondelēz, said in a statement. The marketer also got their advice for the shoot, for example, making sure it had accounted for any of the actor’s needs, she added.
“We appreciate that millions of TV viewers can now see, that in any circumstance, it is possible to overcome barriers creatively,” said DBSV President Klaus Hahn. Anne Renoud, president of FDAF, adds that “in the pursuit of inclusivity all steps count, even the smallest ones. The Easter Egg Hunt ritual is part of the joy of Easter, and blind children are children like any other, their small moments of joy matter.”
The campaign comes from Ogilvy Germany and Scholz & Friends Hamburg, part of the wider WPP All-Stars Team that works with the marketer. It wil run in Germany, France, and Austria.
Easter is one of the four big seasons of the year for the candy industry, along with Valentine’s Day, Halloween and the Christmas season. Last year’s Easter selling season was disrupted by the pandemic, but Milka’s parent Mondelēz fared well in part due to its European chocolate business, which is more focused on at-home consumption.
Below, a behind-the-scenes video about the ad.
