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Marmageddon comes to an end, Henry congratulates Kiwis for enduring crisis—UPDATED

Sanitarium and Saatchi & Saatchi made
the best of a bad yeast-based situation by creating the Don’t Freak Out campaign and focusing on the brand’s ‘flawsomeness’. And, not surprisingly, it’s also making the most of Marmite’s long-awaited comeback, with a Facebook countdown, a bit of a PR offensive and another
rousing speech from the father of the nation, Graham Henry, congratulating
Kiwis on getting through these dark days. 

In the clip, which features on Marmite’s Facebook page and was shot by Toa Fraser, Henry tells the nation to take a
breath, stop freaking and dig in because the spread that’s taken up a
disproportionate amount of media space over the past couple of years is finally back on the
shelves.

Unlike the last effort, which included an outdoor campaign featuring a variety of freak out faces and received a bit of flak for being what some saw as an opportunistic marketing stunt, there’s no above the line activity planned this time. And, given the huge media interest, there’s probably no need to pay for media space. 

Instead, Sanitarium has aimed to reward and update its 76,500 Facebook fans with a few competitions (including a factory tour for the most committed fans) and a toast-related countdown, although a few staff from a supermarket in Christchurch jumped the gun by putting it on the shelves a day early. 

When Henry first hit the airwaves back in April 2012, Sanitarium’s general manager Pierre van Heerden told the Herald he thought it would be great to have one Kiwi icon talking about another Kiwi icon. Of course, Henry is no stranger to fronting ads for Sanitarium: its Weet-Bix brand is a sponsor of the All Blacks and he has also featured in an ad for Up and Go. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkBeZcVcxzE

Credits: Director: Toa Fraser

ECD: Antonio Navas

Copywriter: Matt Sellars

Art Director: Cory Bellringer

Producer: Jane Oak

Group Account Director: Shelley Winsor

Account Director: Natalie Gibb

Account Executive: Ashley Zaragoza

UPDATED: 

Here’s a yeasty release: 

Marmite is back and once again adorning the shelves of kitchens and pantries around New Zealand.

Spearheading the launch was legendary All Black Buck Shelford who was on hand to help spread the Kiwi favourite on customers’ toast at New World Northwood, Christchurch, this morning.

Steve Anderson, Managing Director, Foodstuffs New Zealand said that after such a long wait it was great to see the reaction from customers when the doors to the supermarkets opened this morning.

“Having such an iconic Kiwi brand welcomed back in store by one of New Zealand’s greatest ever All Blacks and sporting legend, Buck Shelford was special. The enthusiasm I saw first hand has beenreplicated around New Zealand,” he said.

Being a staunch Marmite lover and proud Cantabrian, Anderson says that it’s great to see that Sanitarium have been able to rebuild their Christchurch factory and resume production of the ‘black gold’.

“There has been a bit of a rush, but customers have been very understanding and only taken what they need for now meaning the supplies we have will go so much further,” he said.

Anderson recognised the hard work Sanitarium has put into getting Marmite back out to customers. “We know it was no easy task, especially as the business was faced with significant issues post-earthquake. But Sanitarium’s commitment to resuming production as soon as possible has been a real credit to both the company and individuals involved at the factory.”

Sanitarium’s General Manager, Pierre van Heerden, said the buzz in the store when customers tasted marmite again wasvery satisfying for everyone who had worked so hard to get supplies back on the shelves.

“You could just see by the way they savoured the taste when they were eating their toast just how much they have missed it,” says van Heerden.

 

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