Partner Content
Jun 21, 2018

Partner Content: 'Love it or Hate it?' Where genetics meet brand DNA

Celebrating the best in UK creativity at Cannes

Partner Content: 'Love it or Hate it?' Where genetics meet brand DNA
Craft (Film Craft)
Silver Lion: Marmite Gene Project ‘Gene Project 90’
Agency: adam&eveDDB, London
Client: Unilever
 
Sticky brown sludge on your toast anyone? No. Then you're a Marmite hater. Yes, it’s yeasty brown goodness? Then you're probably both a Brit and genetically inclined to love Marmite. At least that's what UK creative agency adam&eveDDB and global FMCG giant Unilever would have you believe, with their campaign mixing science, silliness, family breakdown and a distinctive spread.
 
This is a campaign that started with a piece of genuine scientific research (no, really). It found that Marmite-loving adults have 15 genetic markers that distinguish them from 'haters'.
 
adam&eveDDB and Unilever leapt at the opportunity, launching a £3m ($4m) multi-platform ‘Marmite Gene Project’ campaign, creating gene testing kits that consumers could get their hands on and a TasteFace app (created by AnalogFolk) that could tell a lover or a hater just by photographing their face.
 
But the creative highlight of the campaign is a 90-second TV commercial that perfectly juggles domestic dysfunction, irrelevance and silliness. One of the film’s scenes features a pregnant mom opening a letter. "Please find enclosed the results of your family's first Marmite gene tests," she reads out, as her husband sits cringing. "What does it say?" he asks. "You're a Marmite hater," she says, with disgust.
 
Another scene shows a boy apparently about to come out as gay to his dad. "I'm a Marmite lover," he says as his dad looks on disapprovingly. The on-screen action soon descends into chaos, with the families arguing, or not in a minority of instances. 
 
But for all its tantrums, the ad never comes over as insensitive or even jarring. Just beautifully pitched drama, comedy and perfect on-brand messaging.
 
The campaign won two Silvers and one Bronze Cannes Craft (Film Craft) Lion, for script, casting and direction respectively.
 
 
 
 

 

Source:
Campaign India

Related Articles

Just Published

22 hours ago

Cannes Lions 2025: India adds two bronze Lions on ...

Day four at Cannes Lions 2025 saw modest wins for India in 'Brand Experience & Activation', while top honours remain up for grabs.

1 day ago

Meta expands Advantage+ with Gen AI ad creativity ...

Meta has enhanced its Advantage+ advertising platform with new generative AI tools designed to help advertisers create personalised, brand-consistent ads at scale.

1 day ago

Reddit launches two AI advertising tools to usher ...

Unveiled at Cannes Lions 2025, Reddit’s AI-powered tools are designed to help brands tap into the power of community conversations and real-time insights.

1 day ago

Emotional marketing: Connecting with customers on a ...

As the marketing landscape evolves, brands that prioritise emotional connections will find themselves at the forefront of consumer preference, says The Marcom Avenue founder and director.