Ogilvy Australia

Client: Mondelez Australia
Product: Cadbury Caramilk
Title: Unscalpable
Media: Digital
Country: Australia
Date Of Campaign: January 2020

Background: Situation: Caramilk had a difficult history with eBay. When Cadbury released Caramilk in Australia just for a limited time in 2018, it was so popular and sought-after that blocks became coveted, selling on eBay for more than 20 times the recommended retail price. Brief: Our challenge was to launch Caramilk officially into the Australian market, with the real deal at the right price and available to all. Cadbury, a brand that stands for generosity, felt it had to do something about Caramilk scalping. It was time to shut down the market once and for all. Objectives: When we discovered people were stocking up and scalping Caramilk blocks on eBay, we couldn’t stand by and watch it happen again. Our loyal fans were being exploited. We wanted an innovative idea that will ensure Caramilk was launched with a bang and attract not only existing but new fans to the brand.

Idea: In time for its official launch and for the first time in Caramilk's history, our supply will surpass the demand. So, before people could scalp the new release on eBay, Cadbury beat them to it. We listed Caramilk on eBay with more than 150 times as many listings as the scalpers, all listing the blocks for the right price and flooding the market. People stormed the site and we sold out in only 28 minutes. But then, we started seeing our own buyers turn into scalpers. Large quantities of our blocks began reappearing on the site at exorbitant prices. So, we relisted Caramilk on eBay, permanently. We made Caramilk Unscalpable, and beat the scalpers at their own game, one block at a time.

Results: Unscalpable was the most successful product launch in Cadbury Australia’s history. But the best result of all is that most of the scalpers’ listings began to disappear. Unsold. • #1 selling chocolate across all retailers during the launch period.• + $14.7 million sales in the first 8 weeks.• 300% sales growth compared to 2018 limited release.• + 30% over-delivery on 2020 business plan.• + 160 pieces of national and international news coverage.• + 2 Million in earned PR/Media value. Unscalpable was the first product launch of its kind, using the very platform Caramilk was being scalped on to ensure it wouldn’t happen again. It garnered massive PR and national news coverage with positive brand sentiment at 90% during the launch period. For example, our first Caramilk social post about the eBay sale received + 1.8 million organic reach, one of the highest organic reach posts for Cadbury, ever.