Ritz Crackers Play on The Stress of Being A Perfect Host

The VCCP campaign captures pre-guest chaos, highlighting its convenience as the ultimate hassle-free snack choice

By Creative Salon

16 August 2023

Mondelez’s Ritz is launching its latest multi-channel campaign with the hope of tantalising the taste buds of people up and down the country and cementing it as a delicious cracker, fit for any hosting occasion all year round.

Created by VCCP, the campaign has been directed by award winning directing duo The Bobbsey Twins.

A humorous and relatable 30” spot sits at the heart of the campaign, bringing to life a common scenario that many hosts face when entertaining. The film depicts a family who are caught off guard when their guests arrive a bit too early. The ringing of their doorbell kicks off a cleaning frenzy as toys are hidden down the back of the sofa and dad throws a bag of rubbish that lands perfectly in the front garden dustbin, behind the patiently waiting guests. The film's stunts were worked on in consultation with content creator Daniel LaBelle, a well-known comedian renowned for his physical comedy on TikTok and YouTube. The film closes out with the voiceover saying “Ritz. Ready when you aren’t” as the camera pans to the packet of Ritz which is ready to entertain, while the family are still catching their breath.

Aimed at young families and millennials, the campaign plays on the hilarity of the often chaotic lead-up to guests arriving - tapping in to the human truth that while it’s great to have visitors, we all feel a little bit of pressure in the moments before the guests arrive. Resulting in a last minute tidying frenzy to give a veneer of cleanliness and offer a warm welcome.

The tastiness and ease of Ritz crackers is reaffirmed as the filled snack bowl is the only thing ready when the surprise hits and the dad can’t resist helping himself to the Ritz even though it’s put out for the guests. Shown as the perfect hassle-free snack to elevate any occasion.

The film is underpinned by a 360-degree campaign that will be rolled-out across out of home, paid social and PR channels. This will be managed by a cross agency team, including ELVIS heading-up social channels, Publicis Media for media buying, and Tin Man Communications managing PR content.

Bespoke social edits continue the film narrative, but focus on different aspects of the household chaos, showcasing Ritz’s readiness, as the simple, graphic OOH executions continue the campaign sentiment, as they reveal the inner monologues of most modern-day entertainers as they navigate challenging and unexpected hosting scenarios.

The PR content then focuses on how Ritz can help to right more hosting mishaps. The content follows former Come Dine With Me contestant, Kev Riley aka Whisk Guy, at his second attempt of impressing guests with his hosting skills; the highs and lows, watched and narrated by TikTok star Shabaz Says.

Declan Duggan, Marketing Manager Healthy Biscuits at Mondelez said: “So many of us put pressure on ourselves in the run up to hosting guests, especially when welcoming friends and family into our homes. Ritz is the easy, versatile and crowd pleasing snack that helps you welcome people into your home when you may not feel ready… which no one ever does! While we know Ritz is a much loved cracker during the festive season, this simple truth is universal and we wanted to show how Ritz can be enjoyed throughout the year.”

Jim Capp, Creative Director at VCCP London added: “We’ve all been there, you’ve got friends coming over and no matter how prepared you think you are, there’s always a last minute panic before the bell goes. It’s great to see such an iconic brand like Ritz back on our screens with a bit of truthful humour”.

The campaign will run in the UK from today until 7th November and will appear across multiple touchpoints including out-of-home (OOH), organic and paid social on YouTube and Meta alongside owned content planned.