This is probably old news by now because Darrell Lea have invested heavily in getting their palm oil decision and message to the world. The truth is that the decision truly is massive news for the environmental movement as it is a clear signal that mainstream market consumers are starting to flex their purchase muscles for a more considerate planet. At least among the the chocolate loving consumers - which is pretty much everyone.
Darrell Lea now join many other food manufacturers actively responding to consumer pressure as Darrell Lea's marketing director commented:
“OUR CONSUMERS TOLD US THEY WOULD PREFER OUR PRODUCTS TO BE PALM OIL FREE. WE LISTENED AND WE TOOK ACTION. THERE IS GROWING AWARENESS OF THE DEVASTATING IMPACTS ON NATURAL HABITATS AND ENDANGERED SPECIES ASSOCIATED WITH PALM OIL PRODUCTION."
The campaign kicked off with a television, video and billboard campaign, featuring a video of an orangutan playing drums to the beat of George Michael’s Freedom and asking us to encourage citizens to consider how the choices we make at the grocery store checkout can quite literally change the world.
"YOU MAY NOT THINK ABOUT IT WHEN YOU’RE GROCERY SHOPPING, BUT YOU HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE THE WORLD, SIMPLY BY THE PRODUCTS YOU CHOOSE TO BUY. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE WHEN IT COMES TO PALM OIL.
PALM OIL IS FOUND IN ROUGHLY 50% OF ALL SUPERMARKET PRODUCTS – BUT YOU WOULDN’T KNOW IT. WHILST THIS HIDDEN INGREDIENT MAY NOT DIRECTLY CHANGE YOUR LIFE, THE UNSUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION OF PALM OIL IS DESTROYING SOMEBODY ELSE’S.
THE CHOICES YOU MAKE AT THE CHECKOUT CAN QUITE LITERALLY CHANGE THIS."
The advertising industry are in a frenzy about whether the Palm Oil Free ad is having a dig at long term arch rival Cadbury, who made an ad with a Gorilla some years back. It's hard to imagine how Darrel Lea weren't aware, including the fact that there is ongoing ambiguity around Cadbury and the use of palm oil.