Purdys Chocolatier is getting an assist from a subject matter expert to lean into the magic of the Easter season.
The CPG’s latest spot features a miniature, purple-hued fantastical production line where a bunny is hand-picking which chocolates will go into a special Easter gift box. The “Bunny’s Choice” box is available for purchase online and in Purdys retail locations.
“We want to help Canadians find the perfect Easter gift to share with their loved ones,” says Julia Cho, director of marketing for Purdys. “What better gift than one picked by the Easter Bunny?”
Cho tells strategy there is also a strong brand association among Canadian consumers of Purdys being handcrafted and high quality. “These are brand elements we wanted to highlight in the campaign video by showing the Purdys chocolate factory and a variety of chocolate pieces.”
Working with its creative agency Rethink, Purdys Chocolatier captured the selection process with an Easter Bunny trained prior to the video shoot to gently press buttons with their nose.
In addition to the 30-second version, cutdowns of the spot will be used for paid social placements through Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. Messaging across OLV, packaging and in-shop assets are all centered around leaving it to the expert, the Easter Bunny, to choose the ultimate box of assorted chocolates, Cho explains.
Prior to the official March launch, Purdys hosted a media and influencer-facing in-person event to build excitement, which included a chocolate tasting of the Bunny’s Choice Gift Box selection, hosted at The Bunny Cafe in Vancouver.
In-store signage includes a Bunny’s Choice leaseline banner (featuring the star Easter Bunny from the video), a feature sign next to the product with a QR code to watch the campaign video on the Bunny’s Choice landing page and bunny paw print decals on the floor to take customers from the lease line to the Bunny’s Choice Gift Box.
During pandemic lockdowns, the brand saw a spike in ecomm sales, particularly in its bestselling signature chocolates, Cho says. “Post-lockdown, we’ve seen a strong trend in retail sales: our customers are happy to shop in-person again.”
Purdys’ target audience is women aged 25 to 44 years old with elementary-school-aged children and, as Cho explains, customers who believe in buying better quality chocolate to share with their loved ones. They also are looking for innovative, premium gifts.
On the CSR side, Purdys Chocolatier has made a $5,000 donation to Rabbitats, a 100% volunteer-run charity dedicated to helping abandoned and feral rabbits.
Rethink first began working with the more than century-old family owned Canadian brand in 2021 on the Purdys Holiday Braille Box.
