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Cadbury’s Flake: not so elegant

SHE oozed class. She looked sophisticated. She was beautiful. Her abode was a luxury house away from the hustle and bustle. Her uncluttered home was classy: a four-poster bed, beautifully handmade furniture, large rectangular windows with long heavy curtains – classy surroundings housing a classy lady.

The classy lady sat elegantly on the windowsill and slowly unwrapped a Cadbury’s Flake. Her perfectly formed, deep red lips and beautiful white teeth set the scene for the main event as she slowly ate the chocolate. She carefully catches a piece of Flake before it falls away from her lips.

Cadbury’s described Flake as “the crumbliest, flakiest milk chocolate in the world.” I have gobbled down quite a number of Flakes over the years, and, after watching the 1988 advert, my conclusions of Cadbury’s description are a) absolutely spot-on, and, b) the advert does not match the product.

Let me explain: I have never been able to control the flaking of a Flake. No matter how carefully I untied and pulled open the wrapper, it would flake -away immediately. When it came to biting into one, the chocolate would not just flake-away, sizeable chucks would fall into my lap! By the time I had finished eating the Flake, I’d spend the next five-minutes picking bits of chocolate off my shirt and trousers; for this reason the Cadbury’s description would have no issues with trade description.

Now, we move onto the advert. I have not got a problem with the house, the surroundings or the elegant lady, my issue is with the behaviour of the Flake. As she bites into the Flake, it should crumble in an inelegant manner – there should be numerous bits of Flake stuck to her lipstick and she should be swaying and jerking from side-to-side trying to catch the falling flakey bits. I’m afraid the advert requires a trade description act alert.

Cadbury’s, I ask you consider this: if you do ever decide to make another advert, please show Flake in its true light: uncontrollable and flakey that will have her catching and picking up bits of chocolate as she makes her way through it… in a not very elegant manner of course!

Reminisce on the advert by clicking the photo below


Further essential retro reading:

  1. Have a break, have a KitKat
  2. A Mars a day helps you work, rest and play
  3. Marathon: the courtroom plea

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