Cadbury's 'distracted ads' made neighbouring posters' stars stare at the &More bar

Introduce the most indulgent Dairy Milk yet — bigger chunks and more flavour combinations than ever, in Nutty Praline Crisp and Caramel Nut Crunch — in a way that embodies Cadbury's brand identity of generosity.

Posters so distracting the people featured in adjacent ads stare at them — and those neighbouring ads are real independent businesses, advertised for free.

The central OOH activation placed &More posters beside 'distracted' ads whose featured people can't help staring; Cadbury gave those spots to real independent businesses, each featuring genuine people affiliated with them — free advertising and a spotlight. Media by Publicis Media put posters at Euston, Waterloo and flyposting sites nationwide from 17 June, with contextual placements at bus stops and airports ('get on your bus'). VCCP's studio Girl&Bear and director Tom Speers (SMUGGLER) made two 20-inch films — a gamer abandoning his team, a mother leaving her daughter waiting in the rain. Running UK and Ireland, 3 June–31 July plus a September phase, across BVOD, CTV, cinema, YouTube, digital, OOH and social, with PR by Ogilvy.

No campaign results were disclosed; the activation is framed by Mondelez's senior brand manager as an embodiment of Cadbury's generosity, sharing the platform with small businesses.

In June 2024, Cadbury and VCCP London launched an integrated campaign for the Cadbury Dairy Milk &More bar — bigger chunks and more combinations of flavours than ever, in two varieties: Nutty Praline Crisp and Caramel Nut Crunch. The idea celebrated the bar's depth by showcasing the distracting power of its fillings, 'proudly celebrating that there's a lot to take in'.

Central to the campaign was a series of 'distracted' OOH ads: the eye-catching &More bar grabs the attention of 'neighbouring' ads, whose featured people can't help but stare. Cadbury filled those neighbouring slots with real independent businesses, each ad featuring genuine people closely affiliated with the business — free advertising that also embodied the brand's generosity theme. Publicis Media placed the posters at Euston and Waterloo, on flyposting sites nationwide, and contextually at bus stops and airports.

VCCP's studio Girl&Bear worked with director Tom Speers and SMUGGLER on two 20-inch films: a gamer so entranced he abandons his team, and a mother so absorbed her teenage daughter waits outside in the rain. The campaign ran across the UK and Ireland from 3 June to 31 July with a September second phase, spanning BVOD, CTV, cinema, YouTube, digital and paper OOH, flyposters and social, with Girl&Bear managing the campaign and Ogilvy handling PR.

The device makes the media plan part of the creative: the claim 'there's a lot to take in' is demonstrated by the ads physically distracting other ads.

Giving the neighbouring slots to real independent businesses turns a media gimmick into the generosity positioning the brand wanted to own.

Contextual placements — airport ads telling you to pick up your luggage — extend the distraction joke to the viewer's own situation.

The product truth becomes the medium: ads that literally distract the media next to them prove the claim in situ.

The source records the launch window and planned September phase; no later results are mentioned.