Gene Wilder’s Willy Wonka is one of my favourite movie characters - brilliant, charming, arrogant and slightly scary.
Given this, and my unhealthy appetite for chocolate, I was delighted to hear Nestlé had resurrected Wonka bars. Here was a chance for off-the-wall NPD, for colour, for craziness.
Then I saw the bars, and was bluer than Violet Beauregarde in a chewing gum mishap. Nestlé’s idea of a modern Wonka flavour is millionaire’s shortbread. Or vanilla ‘Nice’ cream. Or crème brûlée. Where the Oompa-Loompa was my Scrumdiddlyumptious bar?
” Where the Oompa-Loompa was my scrumdiddly-umptious bar?”
Vince Bamford, fmcg editor
In a market where salted caramel and chilli are almost mainstream, these bars feel so ‘safe’ and adult. At least be out there with the name -whatever the focus group tells you.
I hate to make comparisons, but the Wonka bars look very ordinary against Cadbury’s Marvellous Creations, which contain popping candy and, as of next month, cola pieces and salted pretzels. In the same bar.
Risky products, certainly, but the £20m Marvellous Creations has made in its first three months shows taking chances can win you the golden ticket.
