Cadbury changes iconic Dairy Milk branding to combat loneliness

Packaging will feature snippets of stories from people like Rose, 79, who kissed Elvis Presley

(Cadbury)

Cadbury’s iconic Dairy Milk bars are a British institution and instantly recognisable with their purple packaging and eye-catching white writing.

But, in aid of charity, the chocolate bars are getting a new look that sees the words Dairy Milk replaced with short stories.

In collaboration with Age UK, snippets of stories told by older people will be printed on the packaging as part of the ‘Donate your words’ campaign.

Fascinating tales come from people like Harry, 84, who left school at 11 and ran off with his family to join a travelling circus. Anne, 79, travelled across the Alps with her toddler in a sidecar.

The full versions of the stories can be read online and the idea is to get people talking and to have conversations with the elderly. Age UK says 225,000 older people frequently go a whole week without speaking to another person.

A similar campaign was run back in 2019, but rather than short stories, the packaging was left blank as Cadbury had ‘donated their words’ to charity.

This time, however, you can get involved and submit your own story of an older person in your life online - those who do will be in with a chance of winning a Cadbury hamper.

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10 million bars of chocolate are on sale now with six designs to choose from. Cadbury is donating £150,000 from the chocolate to Age UK.

Speaking about the campaign, Pippa Rodgers Brand Manager at Mondelez, said: “Keeping true to the brand’s philanthropic roots, and the Cadbury belief that there is a glass and a half in everyone, we are extremely proud that the Donate your words campaign has already encouraged hundreds of thousands of people to start a conversation with a potentially isolated or lonely older person.”

Fundraising Director at Age UK, Laurie Boult, said: “The latest edition of the Donate your words bars will remind us all of the interesting and insightful stories many older people have to share, and that we could all benefit from taking the time to ignite these meaningful conversations – who knows what we’ll hear in return.

“We’re encouraging everyone to get behind the campaign by buying a unique bar and by reaching out to talk and listen to the older people around them. It can really make the world of difference.”