Chocolatier Russell Stover sings its way to 1st campaign in 2 decades

Dive Brief:

Russell Stover Chocolates, working with agency of record Cutwater, has kicked off its first major creative campaign in more than 20 years with content across TV and social, according to a press announcement shared with Marketing Dive.
The "Make happy" effort features musician Victory Boyd singing, "I Wanna Make you Happy," an original song written for the campaign. The national broadcast ad is called "Hugs," a 30-second spot that builds on moments when people give and receive hugs to the tune of the song.
A behind-the-scenes video shows the song making process. The company also recently updated its packaging to a new copper box inspired by the kettles in its kitchen.

Dive Insight:

While the timing of the new campaign certainly works for a holiday push, Russell Stover says it is aiming to promote its chocolates as a gift for everyday giving. At the same time, the 86-year-old brand is hoping to update its image for a new generation of chocolate lovers by partnering with a musical influencer, tapping into a trend that several brands have embraced this year.

A recent Nielsen survey found 75% of Americans chose music as their top form of entertainment, surpassing TV at 73%. Marketers are paying attention to this consumer interest, as a number of recent campaigns have included musicians writing and perform original songs. For example, Lego has a new creative effort featuring a song from Mark Ronson.

Russell Stover isn't the only chocolatier pitching products beyond special occasions at a time when younger consumers are looking for organic ingredients and small-batch production when they buy chocolate. Godiva recently kicked off a global campaign promoting its confections for every day consumption and sharing, illustrating that premium.

Milk chocolate sales are expected to grow 6.2% by 2026 globally, according to Transparency Market Research, when the industry's value will reach $95 billion, as reported by National Confectioners Association. Chocolate makes up 60% of candy sales in the U.S. confectionary industry, generating some $21 billion annually.