Wrigley is to spend a record £46.5m promoting its brands this year with a major share set to go behind a raft of new products.
More than half the giant spend - up from £34.5m last year - is likely to be used to fuel Wrigley’s attempt to push further beyond its gum heartland.
Details of new products for this year are currently under wraps.
But one influential buyer confirmed: “New lines will play a big part in Wrigley’s activity this year. There is an extensive new product development programme and there are some very interesting products in there.
“A lot of the things they have shown me are still in the development stage but breaking further beyond gum will be one key feature.
“And I understand that we can look forward to further developments behind things like Extra Thin Ice.”
Jo Hartop, communications head at Wrigley, said the Extra brand - which now covers gum, mints and fresh breath strips - would once again be one of the key beneficiaries of the confectioner’s marketing budget, with £18m going behind the brand. Part of the spend will go on the funding of new television commercials.
She declined to elaborate on how exactly the remaining £28.5m would be spent, but it is unlikely that other brands in the portfolio such as Orbit, Airwaves and Hubba Bubba would command such enormous support.
Wrigley’s desire to become a major player beyond gum is no secret and it appears to be unfazed by the prospect of ruffling the feathers of larger competitors such as Nestlé and Cadbury.
The company made its first foray into the mints arena last September, with the Extra brand, and took a sideswipe at its rivals in the process, citing a “lack of credible investment”.
Simon Mowbray
More than half the giant spend - up from £34.5m last year - is likely to be used to fuel Wrigley’s attempt to push further beyond its gum heartland.
Details of new products for this year are currently under wraps.
But one influential buyer confirmed: “New lines will play a big part in Wrigley’s activity this year. There is an extensive new product development programme and there are some very interesting products in there.
“A lot of the things they have shown me are still in the development stage but breaking further beyond gum will be one key feature.
“And I understand that we can look forward to further developments behind things like Extra Thin Ice.”
Jo Hartop, communications head at Wrigley, said the Extra brand - which now covers gum, mints and fresh breath strips - would once again be one of the key beneficiaries of the confectioner’s marketing budget, with £18m going behind the brand. Part of the spend will go on the funding of new television commercials.
She declined to elaborate on how exactly the remaining £28.5m would be spent, but it is unlikely that other brands in the portfolio such as Orbit, Airwaves and Hubba Bubba would command such enormous support.
Wrigley’s desire to become a major player beyond gum is no secret and it appears to be unfazed by the prospect of ruffling the feathers of larger competitors such as Nestlé and Cadbury.
The company made its first foray into the mints arena last September, with the Extra brand, and took a sideswipe at its rivals in the process, citing a “lack of credible investment”.
Simon Mowbray
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