Confectionery brand’s act to promote diversity in honour of anniversary

In 2020 the brand of Aakkoset (Alphabet) would be celebrating its 50th anniversary. During the past half a century Finland has changed, and Aakkoset wanted to change along. Cloetta approached Ellun Kanat because they wanted to crystallize the purpose of Aakkoset to honor the brand’s anniversary.

The desire to change

During the past half a century Finland has changed, and Aakkoset wanted to change along. Cloetta approached Ellun Kanat because they wanted to crystallize the purpose of Aakkoset to honor the brand’s anniversary.

Vision

The Finnish alphabet and linguistic playfulness have always been in the core of the Aakkoset brand. Today, however, a variety of different languages are spoken in Finland and the number will grow in the future. By nature, Aakkoset is light, confident and classic. Therefore, helping people to understand one another and value diversity through sweets is a natural way for Aakkoset to increase its purpose and to do good. This is how Yhteiset Aakkoset (Our shared Alphabet), a campaign centering language, inclusivity and joy, was born.

The change

Ellun Kanat helped Cloetta with ideating a deed true to their brand and values: Besides the official (Finnish and Swedish) and the most spoken languages (Russian, Estonian and Arabian) in Finland, the candy packages were updated with English and Inari Sami. Ellun Kanat helped Cloetta to define the broader image and purpose for the deed and to decide the chosen languages and letters used in the campaign. All the languages are happily mixed in the prints of the bags as well as the candies themselves.

The campaign is a proof that Aakkoset and Cloetta stand for inclusive values and diverse Finland. In collaboration with Inklusiiv non-profit, Ellun Kanat helped Cloetta to define the broader image and purpose for the deed and to decide the chosen languages and letters used in the campaign. Besides ideation, product conceptualisation and a communication approach, Ellun Kanat helped with media communications during the launch and created a contingency plan for internal and external communications to better prepare for the discussion that aroused within the launch.

Within the first week from the launch, the Yhteiset Aakkoset (Our shared Alphabet) campaign earned nearly 20 media hits in journalistic media, such as Iltalehti, Ilta-Sanomat, Markkinointi & Mainonta and MTV news media. In addition, the campaign sparked wide conversations in social medias, gathering nearly 300 mentions on social media channels in the first week.

Through the campaign, Cloetta’s Aakkoset strengthened their position as a confectionery brand for everyone in Finland. A bold action and the conversation that followed are proof that the future requires brands to think beyond themselves.

The Aakkoset market share grew by 15 % (June vs. May) and the campaign ended the negative trend, which had begun in February. The campaign has not led to losing customers – in fact, the results are the opposite. This is an excellent result, considering that the message of the campaign had a possible outcome of sparking controversy in some of the consumers. However, the campaign has grown the sales of all of the Aakkoset candy bags. This is exceptional, since most sales increases of new product launches are mostly visible in the sales of that specific product.

The campaign was planned and produced together with Hasan & Partners, ToinenPHD and Inklusiiv.

“Ellun Kanat helped us to establish a cheerful and, at the same time, meaningful big deed for our Aakkoset brand. The whole Aakkoset campaign was founded on Ellun Kanat’s idea about the diversity of languages and letters in today’s Finland. We quickly found a common ground, and together with a media and advertising agency, the idea was refined to the Aakkoset campaign. We learned that even a light-hearted confectionery brand can be a discussion opener and do good by helping people understand one another and appreciate diversity.”

Heidi Pekkala, Product Group Manager

Video: hasan & partners