Cadbury releases new film 'Memory' created with VCCP (and try not to cry)

Cadbury has unveiled its latest ad 'Memory', created in collaboration with its global agency of record, VCCP. This latest iteration marks the seventh year of Cadbury's generosity brand platform, a globally recognised campaign known for its heartfelt and emotional storytelling. Let me tell you—not many have come away from this ad without shedding a tear.

Its aim is simple: to highlight how gifting chocolate can serve as a powerful gesture of kindness and connection. It has been released through a powerful yet humble storyline, which tells a moving story of a daughter and her father written by Simon Connor, directed by Steve Rogers (who also directed previous Cadbury films' Garage' and 'Speakerphone') and produced by Biscuit Filmworks.

According to VCCP creative director Simon Connor, the brief for these films is always completely open and asks for "a story of generosity with Cadbury at the heart of it". He adds, "If you can take the product out and the story doesn't fall apart, it doesn't make the grade."

The film opens with a daughter visiting her father - who is living with dementia - at his home, bringing with her a bar of Cadbury Whole Nut. Her father smiles and clearly recognises the chocolate as a gift his daughter has bought him since she was a child. But, at this moment, he doesn't recognise her as his daughter.

Instead, he begins to tell her how this ritual gifting always makes his wife laugh because, as he proudly reveals, he's always hated nuts. The daughter laughs and is touched by the idea that her father has kept this secret for so long.

Her father then asks her not to tell his 'daughter'—meaning her—about the secret because "it makes her so happy", and the daughter responds softly, "It does". The storyline highlights the generosity of the daughter and of her father, despite him not always remembering who she is.

To ensure that the story was rooted in truth, Cadbury consulted with dementia specialists throughout the development of the film. It was also partly inspired by a conversation with a VCCP account director.

"When we first got the brief, Katie, our account director, told me this beautiful story about when she was growing up, between her and who would later become her stepdad," says Connor. "It was all about that little white lie you say to someone, saying you like something (that really you don't) because it makes them feel good. It felt like such a great truth and very relatable - we all have a story like that."

However, Connor initially found it really difficult to tell the tale without it becoming "a long sort of contrived monologue". It eventually got parked, and it wasn't until he tried to fix a second, different script that it resurfaced.

He asked himself: 'What if someone was revealing a little white lie to the person it was about, but they didn't realise?' and then it all fell into place.

"There are sort of two stories happening at the same time," he explains. "One is actually quite funny, and the other is very moving. From the moment it was on the page, we knew it was the one."

Cadbury has also extended its partnership with Alzheimer's Research UK, the UK's leading dementia research charity, into 2025. The two organisations first joined together in 2024 to celebrate Cadbury's role in the nation's shared memories and support the charity's mission for a cure for dementia.

Cadbury senior marketing director Elise Burditt says: "'Memory' illustrates how even a small gesture, like gifting a bar of chocolate, can hold deep meaning and connect us in unexpected ways.

"We're incredibly proud to continue to work with Alzheimer's Research UK to support their vitally important work."

Unlike other brands in the sector, Cadbury's campaign focuses on small, emotional moments rather than action-packed narratives, including previous films such as 'Mum's Birthday', 'Fence', and 'Bus'. This opposite approach has clearly resonated with creatives and the public alike, winning D&AD pencils, British Arrows, and effectiveness awards from the IPA, Marketing Week, and The Marketing Society.

Cadbury global equity lead Nikhil Nicholas adds: "It's been an amazing journey, and we are very excited to launch our latest instalment of the generosity platform.

"This campaign is a continuation of our commitment to shining a spotlight on the really small everyday acts of generosity that are packed with emotion, bringing us closer to each other."

VCCP's global content production studio, Girl&Bear, also helped bring the campaign to life. The film will run across the UK throughout 2025, appearing on TV, VOD, YouTube, and in cinemas.