Easter is one of the biggest holidays of the year and that’s why it is a major marketing opportunity that cannot be missed by many brands. Whether you are looking to indulge the chocolate lovers, inspire family gatherings revolving around food or simply entice your consumers about new product launches and upcoming sales, there’s a way to utilise the Easter season to boost your online presence.
Putting your imagination to work can create wonders, captivate audiences and not only enthral their Easter mood, but also make your brand memorable to them. It is one of the many incredible opportunities to connect with consumers and put your name on the digital advertising map!
We’ve gathered some of our personal favourites and most momentous Easter campaigns throughout recent years that you should definitely have a look at for inspiration!
Memorable Ads
1. Carlsberg - If Carlsberg Did Chocolate Bars (2016)
A renowned beer company may not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of Easter, but this is why the If Carlsberg Did Chocolate Bars ad is such a memorable one.
The unorthodox idea by Carlsberg to innovatively invite the public to an entire, full working bar made of chocolate, definitely grabbed the consumers’ attention. It was an ingenious way to gain new customers, present shareable content, as everyone rushed to share their experience on social media, and raise their brand awareness.
2. Cadbury - How Do You Not Eat Yours (2022)
An instant cult classic, Cadbury’s favourites Creme Eggs hold a dear place in people’s hearts during Easter and they surely knew how to exploit that in the most unexpected way.
Cadbury launched a viral campaign, where consumers were asked to not eat the super-rare white and milk chocolate Creme Eggs they found for a chance to win a very big money prize. The campaign was accompanied by two funny videos that depicted the difficult struggle between the prize and the deliciousness of the eggs.
Overall, the campaign had many different elements that led it to great success. The surprising twist of the promotional videos, the throwback to the 1980s campaign How Do You Eat Yours, the challenge set to consumers and the possibility of winning a grand prize, are all great incentives for creating the perfect Easter campaign.
3. Nestlé - Alice in Wonderland (2018)
Nestlé went for a more heart warming storytelling with their Easter ad, focusing on the fantastical world of Alice in Wonderland to promote the theme of family holidays and togetherness. There’s an emotional reaction that is attached to this sort of campaign as it focuses on the blending of a favourite and well-known childhood story, family and chocolate. It’s impossible to go wrong with the effect of such a powerful combination!
4. Co-op - Good Egg Hunt (2016)
Co-op went for a YouTube campaign that had as its main element the kindness of people. It was based on a social experiment, where an actor was setting up scenarios where the help of strangers would be required, and people pulled through.
The company played on the Easter tradition of an egg hunt and turned it into a feel-good observation that solidified them as a community-focused brand and strengthened their positive exposure by offering rewards to everyday people who simply cared enough to help.
5. Cadbury - Creme Egg Golden Goobilee (2021)
Cadbury simply had to make a second appearance on our list of best Easter campaigns, because who can leave behind the 50th anniversary ad of their super popular Creme Eggs. The chocolate favourite marked five delicious decades with a hero film that was explosive, upbeat, inclusive, diverse and altogether joyful that appealed to entire generations.
The Golden Goobilee campaign went all out, with additional digital activations on TikTok, a video starring Gary Barlow, bringing in that celebrity-factor to all the celebrations, as well as multiple collaborations with Carat, LadBible, Twitter and Goose Island Brewery for a Creme Egg-inspired beer. This was a major milestone moment for the brand and it was exploited in all the right ways with the utmost excitement.
Ok, we admit, Durex may not be the first thing that comes to mind when we think of Easter and that is precisely why their Easter X ad from a few years back remains such a memorable one. Durex inserted themselves in the Easter game with a rather controversial advertisement and completely turned the tables by wittingly and unexpectedly creating an ad that suddenly made the brand part of the conversation.
When there’s a will, there’s a way, and Durex surely proved that there’s always space for originality, humour and resourcefulness.
Catchy Products
7. Marmite - Yeaster Egg (2019)
Marmite is already an ambiguous product, which consumers either love to hate or love to love. Both groups are really vocal about their opposing opinions and the brand did not shy away from taking advantage of that and releasing an even more controversial flavour, Marmite Flavor Chocolate Egg, which got the conversation going. Debatable on whether this is yummy, but surely a smart marketing move.
8. Deliveroo - Easter Dragon Egg (2019)
Deliveroo’s Easter Dragon Egg launch is the epitome of remaining relevant and attracting varied audiences. At the height of Game of Thrones and its series finale, Deliveroo took advantage of all the hype and momentum for their own benefit by releasing a limited-edition product, which gained them an increased social presence and brand awareness.
Consumer Challenges
9. Tesco - #FindTheEggs (2013)
Tesco’s viral campaign took full advantage of the phenomenon at the time that was Pokemon Go as an inspiration for creating a virtual Easter egg hunt, where consumers were tasked with visiting the dedicated website and entering the challenge via Google Street View with their postal code. A modern day scavenger hunt with greatly fun elements and incentivisation, where consumers were on the search for eggs and a special golden egg that would lead them to great rewards.
10. Haribo - #HuntTheDoubleYolker Challenge (2019)
Haribo UK put up the challenge for kids and their families to search for a special double yolker egg in their Starmix packs. The promotion of the campaign was released on social media, with an inventive ‘Wanted’ poster of the double yolker egg, a relevant catchy hashtag and of course, the incentive of getting rewarded with a holiday vacation. Win win!
Talk about some inventive Easter inspiration! Regardless of whether your brand is associated with Easter traditions or beliefs, it's a time where people come together to celebrate and there's always space to address your audience in original, fun and unique ways!