'There's No Brand Like Cadbury': VCCP's Chris Birch on the British Arrows Winning Work

Cadbury is a brand celebrated almost as much for its advertising as its chocolate — and this year it enjoyed another standout night at the British Arrows. The public voted its iconic ‘Gorilla’ the favourite commercial of the past 50 years, earning the inaugural People’s Arrow, while the brand picked up four major awards overall.

Among them, Cadbury was named Advertiser of Excellence and won Best Up to 15 Seconds Commercial for Cadbury Dairy Milk’s ‘Made to Share’.

It was also a big moment for Bournville. Until last year, the dark‑chocolate brand hadn’t appeared on TV for almost five decades. Its return, ‘Made to Be Enjoyed, Not Endured’, is a 90‑second VCCP film built around a sharply scripted — and partly improvised — debate between three colleagues at The Ivy. Each produces their own bar of dark chocolate, sparking a comic showdown that ends with a flinch‑inducing taste test and the line: ‘You’re not meant to enjoy dark chocolate’.

It’s an unexpected creative direction for Cadbury and owner Mondelēz — and one that paid off. The campaign won Gold in both the Food & Drink category and the Writing Award at this year’s British Arrows.

When VCCP chief creative officer Chris Birch accepted the Advertiser of Excellence award, he delivered an impassioned tribute to the partnership.

Here’s what he had to say as he reflected on the agency first winning the account.

The most bumclenchingly intimidating moment in my life happened nine years ago.

Stood in the grand oak boardroom in Bournville being stared down by two ginormous 200-year-old oil paintings of John and George Cadbury - the founders of the global chocolate empire. Their eyes piercing me and the team with words to the tune of ‘don’t mess this up advertising boy’ - That’s how they spoke then.

Squeaky bum time because there’s no brand like Cadbury. With its golden signature and Its regal purple. It’s the selection box at Christmas The nicking a Curly Wurly on the way home from school. The shared Dairy Milk that got John Lennon and Paul McCartney together - true story, ask Bono.

It’s proper fabric of the nation stuff.

And that’s before you even talk about the advertising. The Milk Tray Man, Flake Ladies, Flake ladies in the bath, Gorilla, Everyone’s a Fuit and Nut Case. These aren’t just commercials – they’re bits of British culture that were sung in playgrounds, mimicked in sketch shows, and have been living rent free in our heads for decades.

So our task was very real. Do outstanding advertising or be haunted by the portraits of George and John forever more.

Thankfully, the responsibility for such a brand was deeply felt by everyone in the incredible VCCP team. And by our friends at Cadbury even more so, as together over nine years we built the platform ‘There’s a Glass and a Half in Everyone’. It’s the mother to gold-winning films such as ‘Mum’s Birthday’, ‘Fence’, ‘Garage and Memory’. Magical activations – ‘Cadbury Secret Santa’ and ‘The Worldwide Hide’. Pack redesigns like the ‘Wordless Bar’ and ‘Made to Share’ to name just a few. Every execution communicating generosity, but always in a new way.

Always the same always different.

It’s been nine very special years but if there was any doubt left as to whether the portraits of George and John thought we had done well enough then along comes tonight. Two Golds for Made to Share and Bournville. And then this - Advertiser of the Year.

It’s an honour just to work on a brand like this but to get such recognition for working on a brand like this. That’s very special.

So, thank you British Arrows – in your 50th year. It means a lot. You’re very generous.

Enjoy the Milk Tray.