With new TV and digital advertising restrictions on high fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) foods looming, the Jonuts campaign is also a “great example” of how brands affected by the regulations can continue to launch new innovations elsewhere, Kantar’s Deason adds. In 1927, McVitie & Price introduced the Jaffa Cake, named after Jaffa oranges, containing a simple combination of sugar and tangerine oil to form the sealed layer of jam in the middle.

For some time we haven’t had a significant breakthrough in innovation on the brand. So we really wanted to bring something new to market that was going to excite fanatics but also help us tap into new occasions in these spaces,” she says. While Jaffa Cakes are eaten broadly across the day, Jonuts are more targeted at evening occasions and lunchtime treat moments. Babb says: “One of the things that we found really important when we were doing the creative was that we got the right tone and the playful tonality coming through.

Driving long- and short-term results

We’re excited to offer a new twist to our fans, as the fusion between Jaffa Cakes and doughnuts brings an exciting and original taste experience to those who love a treat.” Read More Related Articles To celebrate their recently launched Jaffa Jonuts ®– a delicious fusion of Jaffa Cakes and doughnuts – McVitie’s ® is giving away thousands of the new treats for those that spot their giant Jonut sculpture which will be hidden in three UK cities In February, the brand launched a new platform to play off this history: ‘Be what you want to be’. The Jonut launch was designed to build further on that proposition, and the response from consumers has been “really positive”, Babb says. Source: United Biscuits/Pladis Brands that experiment now and master how to use other channels effectively in a way that is coherent with the brand’s essence and reaches and resonates with key audiences will gain competitive advantage,” she says.

The aim of the launch ad campaign was therefore primarily around building awareness and appeal to drive product trial. McVitie’s are giving away thousands of free Jaffa Jonuts – the delicious new fusion between a Jaffa Cake and a doughnut – as part of the Giant Jaffa Jonut Hunt, which will take place in London, Birmingham and Cardiff over the coming weeks.

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Emma Stowers, Brand Director for McVitie's at pladis UK&I, said in the press release: "We love hearing Jaffanatics debate about our Jaffa Cakes, and the launch of our Jaffa Jonuts is sure to spark further conversation! We’re excited to offer a new twist to our fans, as the fusion between Jaffa Cakes and doughnuts brings an exciting and original taste experience to those who love a treat." Deason explains: “The ad is playing its role in building salience for the brand and primarily a sense of differentiation, while also building warmth towards the brand and a feeling that it meets needs.” Navigating HFSS restrictions In fact, the Jaffa Jonuts campaign is September’s most creatively effective out-of-home (OOH) ad, according to Kantar, thanks to its potential to drive both long- and short-term business impact. Meanwhile, B&M is now selling mint cookie and caramel stuffed KitKats - and they sound perfect for chocolate fans.

According to Kantar, the creative is likely to be “very powerful” in generating this short-term sales uplift. With a persuasion score in the top 15% of all UK ads and credibility in the top 25%, the ad scores in the top 20% of ads for its short-term potential. We didn’t want to overcomplicate things. The product itself is what people are most engaged with. So we wanted to keep it really simple, and really hero the product and the distinctive brand assets that we’re building with the brand,” she explains. Far from settling the debate of whether a Jaffa Cake is really a cake or biscuit, the playful minds at McVitie's have gone one step further to create something even more unique. These Jaffa creations are described as a magic Jaffa combo with a twist. A soft dougnuty shaped sponge, filled with tangy orange filling, and topped with the classic Jaffa chocolate!⁣"Created by TBWA\London, with media planned and bought by Manning Gottlieb OMD, the tongue-in-cheek billboards ran across the UK. One execution featured a pointed innuendo: ‘When a Jaffa Cake and a donut love each other very much…’. Others imitated perfume ads, consumer technology ads and sportswear ads. The Jaffa Jonuts campaign is a “great example” of how to succeed in this in practice, Deason says.“The ad focuses single-mindedly on bringing to life what a Jaffa Jonut is in an interesting and engaging way. The unashamed focus on the product is far from boring – it is found to be distinctive and involving.” Source: Kantar/Pladis

Clues on the sculpture’s location will be available on Jaffa Cakes social media channels to give Jaffanatics the chance of getting their hands on their free JonutsMcVitie’s brand director, Emma Stowers, said: “We love hearing debate about our Jaffa Cakes, and the launch of our Jaffa Jonuts is sure to spark further conversation. They're joining the growing Jaffa family alongside the Orange, Pineapple, Cherry and Passion Fruit JaffaCakes flavours not to mention Jaffa Cake Bars and those tasty Jaffa Mini Rolls. When a product is this good, the communications almost write themselves as the campaign focuses on showing the Jaffa Jonuts in all their mouthwatering glory. The latest variation of the 94-year-old British classic - a Jonut - is a doughnut-shaped ring of sponge with the staple orange-flavoured filling and a dark chocolate coating. It follows Jaffa Cake bars and mini rolls as well as flavour variations of pineapple, cherry and passion fruit alongside the original orange.