Waitrose’s ‘Sweet Suspicion’ Whodunnit Delivers 150 Million Views and a Festive Twist

Waitrose’s 'Sweet Suspicion: A Waitrose Mystery' has captivated the nation, drawing over 150 million views across social media, TV and digital channels and becoming the retailer’s most successful Christmas campaign to date.

The two-part festive mystery, which has clinched the top spot on YouTube’s Christmas Ad Leaderboard, has finally revealed who stole the No.1 Red Velvet Bauble Dessert.

Developed by Saatchi & Saatchi, the interactive campaign features a star-studded cast and has had food enthusiasts speculating about the culprit since the first episode aired earlier this month.

Online polls hosted on Waitrose.com and social media have added to the intrigue, with Fig the Cat emerging as the top suspect (18 per cent), narrowly ahead of Gamma (17 per cent) and May (15 per cent). However, the least suspected character—the guilty devoted cook, Steve—earned only eight per cent of the vote, keeping the suspense alive ahead of the second episode.

Nathan Ansell, customer director at Waitrose, comments: "The last few weeks have been filled with suspicion, guessing and alibis. Customers and Partners alike have been getting into the ‘whodunnit’ spirit, from wearing the ad t-shirts in store with their predictions of who the culprit is, we've also seen huge engagement on social media polls and I’ve even had customers getting in touch with their own detailed theories and pictures. I can’t wait for everyone to find out who did it! So here's to celebrating with some amazing GOOD food and seeing the surprise or smug looks on everyone's faces.”

The two-part festive mystery, created by Saatchi & Saatchi, has had food lovers up and down the country conspiring who out of its star-studded cast could be responsible for the fridge theft since the first episode went live earlier in November.

Viewers are invited to immerse themselves in the drama one last time as the detective, played by Matthew Macfadyen, unravels the mystery of the missing No.1 Waitrose Red Velvet Bauble Dessert. The film follows the detective again as he works to establish a motive, switching back to moments on Christmas Day when the guilty party could have gotten their hands on the dessert.

Franki Goodwin, CCO at Saatchi & Saatchi, said: "The response to Sweet Suspicion Part One has been immense. We’ve imbibed the internet gleefully every day since launch as the whole nation has been speculating. It's been especially fun to watch as all the other brilliant pieces of this campaign have come to life – from the partner T-shirts in stores to the celebrity sleuths, with all of our alibi content being as richly enjoyed as the main ad. So here it is… the big reveal! And to quote a guilty pudding scoffer, “It’s really good”."

We then see the detective working out how someone could pull off such a delicious crime before revealing that Steve hid the dessert in the gingerbread house under everyone's noses - before being caught in the act in the family garden shed enjoying the first bite. Once unveiled, the film ends with the whole family digging into the delicious dessert, which is set to be a festive showstopper for food lovers this Christmas.

The No.1 Red Velvet Dessert at the heart of the mystery will be available from December 19th in shops or to pre order now through Waitrose.com. Until then, food lovers can treat themselves to individual Red Velvet Bauble Desserts which are available in-store and online now and indulge in Waitrose’s delicious Christmas range alongside the suspense of this festive whodunnit.

Credits

Campaign Title: Sweet Suspicion

Client: Waitrose

Advertising Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi

Chief Creative Officer: Franki Goodwin

Creative Directors: Brodie King, Ali Dickinson

Creatives: Joaquin Olascoaga, Bailey Alexandria

Design Director: Max Henderson

Designer: Weronika Szklarek

Stills Art Director: Ollie Agius

Social Group Creative Director: Caroline Paris

Planning Director: Ophelia Stimpson

Planner: Elena Georgiou

Managing Partner: Alice Flanagan

Business Lead: Paul McHugh

Account Directors: Leela McElroy, Sarah Covill

Account Managers: James Hall, Simran Randhawa

Chief Production Officer: Jess Ringshall

Head of Integrated Production: Rachel Solomon

Executive Producer: Jodie Sibson

AV Agency Producer: Sarah Fry

Stills Agency Producer: Zaneta Stepien

Social Agency Producer: Libby Cavenett

Business Affairs: Liz Staley & Charlotte Fisher

Production Assistant: Emma Stigter

Hero & Ensemble Casting: Talent Republic

Media Buying Agency: Manning Gottlieb OMD

Media Planners: Geraldine Ridgway, Jane Ridehalgh, Jack Willers

Media Buying: Andrew Matsoukis, Maddie Taylor-Wilson, Polly Mason, Emma Walters, Sefton Demetriou, Lakshay Bhatia, Jemma Wilkinson, Hannah Butler

AV Production Company: Smuggler

Director: Lucy Forbes

Director of Photography: Benedict Spence

Production Company Executive Producer: Lucy Kelly

Production Company Producer (AV): Claire Jones

Production Company Producer (Social & Stills): Sian Bourke

Production Company Production Manager: Ellie Sanders Wright

Edit House: TenThree

Editor: Ellie Johnson

Lead Food Stylist: Susie Theodorou

AV Post-Production Company: Harbor

Post-Production Producer: Abi Klimaszewska

Colourist: Toby Tomkins

Creative Director (VFX Lead): Fergal Hendrick

VFX Artists: Jack Sheldrake, Joe Tang, Ahmed El Azma

AV Sound Studio: 750MPH

Sound Engineers: Sam Ashwell, Mike Bovill

Head of Production: Olivia Ray

Score: Soundtree

Music: Wake The Town

Track: Steal Away by Robbie Dupree

Social AV Production: Smuggler

Social Director: Chirolles Khalil

Social Editors: Chirolles Khalil, Marwan Elgamal

Still Photography Production & Design Studio: Prodigious

Photographers: Alex de Mora, Marcus Nillson

Producers (Stills): Brigette Martin, Rachel Wickham

Production Manager: Mel Brown

1st AD: Eddie Leaner

Camera Assistants: Jed Barnes, Sam Lort, Ollie Patterson

Digi Op: Alex Gale

Runner: Mikayah K-Samuels

Lead Food Stylist: Susie Theodorou

Stills Food Stylist: Sara De Lulio

Props Stylist: Sophie Jacobs

Props Assistants: Hela Dondertman, Beth Bilclife

Stylist: Luke Giaduci

HMUA: Zara Tames

Location Manager: Rupert Bowkett

Location Assistant: Mark George

Head of Design: James Crickmore

Senior Project Manager: Jemma Marriott

Senior Designer: Natalie Alves

Senior Motion Designer: Aivaras Seduika

Motion Designer: Sally-Amy Ngwenya

Head of Retouching: Kirsten Howe

Creative Retoucher: Gareth Ling

Project Director: Stephanie Wood

Senior Project Manager: Matt Parker

Creative Artworkers: Darren Rolf, Jennifer Bourne, Katie Luong

Connect Retouching: Post Machine

Producer: Andrey Polezhayev

Alex McDonald, Communications Director