We’ve been selected by The Grocer as the most impactful cider campaign of the year – for the second year in a row!

This year we went back in the studio with the multi–Academy Award® winning Aardman for the next chapter of our pint-sized perfection advertising campaign. The ads saw the return of the animated Thatcher family, and real-life staff from our farm, adapting their cider making skills to try their hands at football, cricket and rugby.

Unveiled in May ’24, the campaign uses stop motion animation to celebrate the skill and craft of the nation’s sporting heroes – and our expert cider makers!

And like a refreshing smooth glass of Thatchers Gold, they’ve made a huge impact with consumers. The joyful ads not only cemented Thatchers Gold as a match day staple, but they were rated as ‘exceptional’ by audiences and delivered the highest awareness of any cider brand[1].

With the ads front of mind for shoppers, we’ve enjoyed a record year, growing our off-trade market value share by 1.9 percentage points[2], taking us up to 18% which means we have doubled our market share in the last five years[3]!

The ads were shown alongside top tier sporting events such as the Premier League, FA Cup, UEFA Euro 2024, Women’s Euro 2025 qualifiers, Men’s Gallagher Premiership Rugby and Vitality Blast, reaching an audience of 45 million adults.

Philip McTeer, Head of Marketing at Thatchers Cider said: “The Grocer is a bible to the FMCG sector, and the editorial team are witness to every campaign launched, so to be selected as the cider campaign of the year for a second year in a row is a real honour.

“Our aim with these campaigns, as it is with our cider making, is simply to delight customers. Aardman’s joyful pint-sized recreation of our home at Myrtle Farm is helping grow engagement, not just with Thatchers, but the category as a whole.

“Thatchers and Aardman are such a perfect match not just because of our shared west country heritage, or our dedicated attention to detail, but how we both marry traditional techniques with modern technology to achieve perfection and bring joy.”

Lydia Gough, Senior Business Development Manager at Aardman adds: “We’re delighted to see Thatcher’s ‘Pint-Sized Perfection’ campaign recognised by The Grocer as the most impactful cider advert of the year. Aardman’s storytelling approach resonates with audiences, bringing the essence of Thatcher’s to life in a way that’s both engaging and memorable. We truly value our long-term partnerships and it’s always a pleasure to collaborate with the Thatchers team—a fellow iconic Southwest business with a shared passion for exceptional craft.”

Ends

[1] System1
[2] Circana, Cider & Perry, 52 weeks to 07/09/2024
[3] Circana, Cider & Perry, 52 weeks to 07/09/2024