Vancouver-based Purdys Chocolatier is aiming to reconnect Canadians with loved ones through a new campaign this holiday season.
“Reconnection Roulette” rewards users with Purdys chocolate when they send a text message to someone they haven’t spoken to in a long time. The centerpiece of the campaign is a mobile microsite featuring a digital roulette game that randomly selects a type of person to whom you might send a message, such as “someone who helped you through a tough time” or “someone who made you feel most like yourself.”
It then gives users the option to choose the person who best fits the phrase and send them a text message directly. Those who do so will receive an email with a promo code that can be used to redeem the company’s trademark Hedgehogs chocolate in stores or online. The site went live on Monday Nov. 27 and will remain active until December 25. The campaign was developed by Rethink Communications.
“‘Reconnect Roulette’ is meant to eliminate barriers to connection by inspiring and incentivizing Canadians to reconnect with people they’ve lost touch with during the holiday season,” Rethink creative director Sheldon Rennie tells MiC. “This campaign takes a people-centric approach, allowing the product to shine as the reward for participants’ courageousness. Developing the microsite for Purdys Chocolatier marked a meaningful venture into creating a digital platform for Purdys Chocolatier that showcases the brand’s commitment to forging meaningful connections and bringing people together through chocolate in new and innovative ways,” Rennie tells MiC.
The media plan includes a 90-second video for YouTube, a 30-second hero video for TV and Cineplex, as well as 15-second and six-second versions of the hero video for TikTok and Meta. Purdys worked with R+D Productions for the videos, which feature real stories of several Canadians highlighting people who have had an impact on their lives but with whom they have lost contact.
Additional creative will be published on Meta, and two pieces of influencer content will be posted on social networks. Purdys retail stores and the brand’s official website will also promote the campaign.
The insights that drove “Reconnection Roulette” came from a 2021 survey conducted by market researcher Maru/Blue (on behalf of the Canadian Mental Health Association), which shows that more than half of Canadians say the holiday season can be a source of anxiety, depression and loneliness. Fifty-two percent think the holidays are not the most wonderful time of the year and have a negative impact on their mental health, according to the survey.
