Still not a biscuit – McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes are back to set the record straight once again
London—
A biscuit – is a biscuit
A Jaffa Cake – is not a biscuit
A duck – also not a biscuit
Apparently, there are people who didn’t get the memo the first time around. Biscuit believers are STILL out there getting this wrong and spreading misinformation. So, pladis-owned McVitie’s is back and louder than ever in the second wave of its headline-grabbing campaign, in an attempt to settle the debate: Jaffa Cakes are cakes. Not biscuits.
The conversation that sparked controversy resurfaced earlier this summer, refusing to crumble quietly. It’s this cultural fallout—and biscuit believers’ ongoing resistance—that fuels round two. Rather than let the debate roll on, McVitie’s is leaning in with even more clarity, humor and bite. Because if the first round caused a stir, this one is here to settle it. Loudly.
We said what we said
McVitie’s is now doubling down, pointing out the mistake by asking “Did you not hear us the first time?” with a fresh batch of OOH, DOOH, digital and social executions. The campaign will feature a new wave of bold, cheeky creative across multiple digital and static sites, with a particular focus on the now-iconic arrows pointing to the word “Cakes”. These playful visual cues form the cornerstone of the new executions, ensuring there’s no room left for misinterpretation.
Among the new assets are playful executions featuring a McVitie’s Digestive, a Jaffa Cake, and a rubber duck – each labeled with arrows reading: “Biscuit, not a biscuit, also not a biscuit.”
Paul Jordan, ECD at TBWA\London, said: “We said what we said. And now we’re saying it louder. We wanted to build on the momentum from last year while keeping the tone fresh, fun and unmistakably Jaffa. This latest round is all about confirming we’re a cake, not a biscuit – and if anyone’s still confused, the arrows should make it crystal clear.
James King, Marketing Director for McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes at pladis UK&I, said: “We’ve had our fun with the debate – now we’re just making it impossible to ignore. This campaign is Jaffa Cakes at their boldest: clear, cheeky, and completely unapologetic. People love to talk about what Jaffa Cakes are, and we love giving them something to talk about. So here it is again.”
Credits:
TBWA\LONDON
Creative agency: TBWA\London
Executive Creative Director: Paul Jordan
Creative Director: Matt Swinburne
Creatives: Matt Tassell & Dan Jones
Designer: Hani Abusamra
Agency Producer: Megan Sutton
Strategy Director: Donna Yan
Planner: Bhrena Marino
Business Director: Max Phillips
Account Director: Sophie Perry
Account Manager: Alice Trotter
McVitie’s
Brand: Jaffa Cakes
CMO: Asli Ozen Turhan
Marketing Director: James King
Marketing Manager: Jessica Woolfrey
Brand Manager: Kate Howe
MEDIA
Media agency: Manning Gottlieb OMD
PR
Consumer PR Agency: The Romans
POST PRODUCTION
Creative Director: Danny Boyle, Coffee & TV
Motion Designers: Connor Cresswell and Daisy Loader, Coffee & TV
About TBWA\London
TBWA\London is an award-winning international creative agency with Disruption® at its core. The agency dismantles the status quo to drive dramatic business results for clients. TBWA\London’s tireless mission to find new spaces for clients has helped build a long heritage of culturally impactful work. Being part of the global network gives TBWA\London access to over 11,300 people in 275 offices across 95 countries.
pladis
pladis is one of the world’s fastest growing snacking companies and home to many of the UK’s much loved brands including McVitie’s, Jacob’s, Carr’s, Go Ahead and Flipz. pladis also owns BN, GODIVA, Turtles, Verkade, Ülker and many more brands across sweet and savory biscuits, wafer, cake, and chocolate.
Formed in 2016, pladis is the proud steward of over 300 years of family baking and confectionery experience. The expertise of its 16,000-strong global workforce spans 27 bakeries across 11 countries and is founded on collaboration, agility and resilience. In the UK, pladis owns six bakeries, and is the category leader in savory and sweet biscuits.
As a responsible business, delivering the highest quality products and exceptional service to deliver happiness with every bite, pladis’ products have the potential to reach more than four billion people across the world. www.pladisglobal.com
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