Biscuit golden oldie Jammie Dodgers is aiming for a more trendy image with its first flavour extensions in the brand’s history and a £2m advertising campaign aimed at kids.

The Burton’s Food biscuit is launching a Vimto-flavoured version in April in a strategic link-up with a leading children’s brand, and hopes to profit on the back of a £4m marketing campaign for the drink.

A Vanilla Thriller version, inspired by raspberry ripple ice cream, is also being released. It will contain vanilla cream as well as the traditional stretchy jam and heart-shaped centre.

Both variants come in standard 150g packs (rsp: 59p).

Jammie Dodgers is launching a cinema advertising campaign
next week starring mischievous new characters called The Dodgers, who are made from jam and live in the heart of the biscuit. The 20 and 30-second ads will air for a year during children’s films, and will be tied in with sampling and promotional activity during Saturday morning cinema clubs.

Helen Tomlinson, customer marketing director, said Jammie Dodgers was still the best-selling kids’ biscuit, but innovation was important to keep the brand in touch with youngsters.

Advertising was at cinemas rather than on TV as this was seen to be more responsible because the majority of kids would be with their mums, she added. “Jammie Dodgers are about mums being able to treat their children. In terms of the age group we are aiming at, it’s going to be the mums who are purchasing for their children.”

Last year, Jammie Dodgers were reformulated with less salt and no artificial colourings.
The company is also reducing the size of the mini-packs and tear-and-share packs, putting 15% more jam in the mini-version and launching new packaging for the minis.
Claire Hu