Mary Carmichael McVitie's is getting a £10m relaunch in United Biscuits' biggest marketing programme yet. Plans include revamped packaging and a new logo, together with new products and ads which aim to take the company from being purely a round, brown biscuit producer to the forefront in snacking. "Biscuits have lagged behind other snacking sectors," said Emma Mansfield, marketing controller. "Yet they require no preparation, are quick and easy and they suit any time of the day or night. We needed to make them more practical, innovative and portable." A promised raft of new products aimed at lunchboxes and snacking is led by Munchbites ­ bite-size chocolate-covered biscuit pieces. Available from April 22, they will come in Milk Chocolate Digestive and Milk Chocolate HobNobs varieties in 40g impulse format (rsp: 35p) and multipacks (5 x 30g, £1.19). Targeted at 17 to 34-year-olds, Mansfield said they represented a £15m sales opportunity. Munchbites will account for £2m of the £10m budget, with TV ads and PoS aimed at impulse arenas, including floor paths leading to the snacks and chocolate biscuit bar fixtures. New packaging across the core range retains the same background colours and descriptors but sports a new McV logo. It is still a blue lozenge with a yellow keyline and white text, but it is sharper, clearer and sits at an angle. "It's a tag, like M&S, rather than a name change," said Mansfield. A £6m national media campaign, focusing on all-day snacking, starts in June. {{P&P }}

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