Overview
Thomas Fudge’s florentines are a highly credible product, with quality ingredients assembled by experienced craftspeople. We needed to bring that credibility into the brand experience.
To do this, we leveraged their refreshed brand identity and flagship sponsorship of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show - spearheading a major brand re-launch, across a multi-channel campaign.
The highlights
Pushing the personality
We developed the character of Thomas J. Fudge, who founded the bakery in 1916. Eccentric in the way only a British gentleman can be - simultaneously over the top, yet refined.
A tasty partnership
John Lewis / Waitrose offered the perfect premium partnership for the brand’s re-launch. Sophistication at scale.
High-impact window and in-store activations stopped shoppers in their tracks across John Lewis & Waitrose’s iconic London stores - offering sumptuous sampling moments.
Eccentricity in store
For those not physically in store, Thomas made an appearance on The Dish podcast - delivering a market stall sales pitch that invoked turn-of-the-century enthusiasm for exotic flavours.
Thomas on the pod!
In-store
We created ‘Hats Off’, an imaginative and decadent in-store sampling experience celebrating Thomas Fudge’s signature wit and craftsmanship. The creative combined playful storytelling and beautiful floral flourishes delivering standout visual theatre.
The campaign ran across John Lewis / Waitrose Oxford Street and Waitrose Canary Wharf, featuring window displays, mid-floor installations, and sampling bays. Our team handled concept development through to production, ensuring each touchpoint reflected the brand’s charming eccentricity.
Thomas’ voice debut 🔊
Promoting the range in audio gave us a golden opportunity to jump back in time and channel the decadent, Victorian charm of the man himself, Mr Thomas J Fudge!
Our playful script eloquently covered a lot of ground, unpacking the indulgent ingredients and fabulous flavours of these incredible florentines, flagging their availability in ‘your nearest self-respecting supermarket’ and there suitability to grace the plates of the greatest gastronomes… whilst being equally at home with a cup of builder’s tea!
What our client thought
"Nonsense led the creative and execution of our most premium biscuit brand’s activation in John Lewis & Waitrose — and absolutely delivered. Despite extremely tight timelines, they embraced the challenge, turning around creative concepts at incredible speed without compromising quality. Their RTBs brought a fresh, original perspective I hadn’t seen before - original, cohesive, and totally on brand.
On logistics and build, Nonsense took full control, liaising directly with Waitrose, who even fed back on how easy, efficient, and professional they were to work with. A true partner from start to finish."
Lauren Steventon - Brand Manager, Thomas Fudge's, FBC
The Project in Numbers
Over 1000% increase of in-store sales during promo week
6000+ florentines sampled
3 million+ passersby on Oxford Street
Over 1.35 million listens to the Dish Podcast ad