Cartoon Arnold launches ‘Pure Hershey’s’ campaign

NEW YORK This week Hershey, the chocolate candy giant, launched a new campaign of TV ad spots featuring the cartoon character Arnold and his friends—created by Aardman Animations, the folks behind Wallace and Gromit—and message of happiness and simplicity.

Towards 18- to 34-year-old consumers, will begin airing in the next quarter and continue through 2009. Each ad spots highlights an assortment “pleasant emotion,” with riffs of familiar pop music to match. “What makes a Hershey’s bar pure?” a female voiceover asks. The answers? “Pure delicious,” “pure happiness” and “pure simplicity.”

According to Nielsen Monitor-Plus, Hershey’s ad budget for 2007 was $100 million, and around $35 million in the first quarter of 2008. Hershey will up its ad spending by about 20 percent for this year and by 25 percent to 30 percent next year, company representatives have said.