Some Australian imports have done better over here than others – Fosters, Kylie and Ugg Boots for example. The Natural Confectionery Company started life down under in the 1920s, but is now making its mark over here under the guidance of Cadbury.

In the past four weeks, it has invested over £633,000 in advertising, almost three times that of the next biggest spender, Haribo. Its first ever UK TV ads broke on 1 June this year and since then it has spent just over £2m – more than three times the amount Haribo has spent in the whole year to date.

This hefty budget promotes the range’s healthy message (healthy for sweets anyway) – it contains no artificial colours or flavourings. And thanks to a bold concept from brand consultants Fallon, the ads are both playful and surreal.

The sweets are shaped into little bears, dinosaurs and snakes, which take a starring role in the advertising. In a funny voiceover, a dinosaur tells a snake to “drop and give me 20”, while another dinosaur boasts “my house has an entire floor for pilates. I don’t even need to do exercise”. Catchphrases such as “Bring on the trumpets” and “Sorry I don’t speak pineapple” also make an impression.

TV took 78% of the budget, with the remaining 22% spent on press creatives. Two new print adverts broke at the beginning of September, echoing the minimal but clear approach of the television campaign. A packet of sweets is shown prominently against a plain white background, while toward the bottom of the page two of the sweet characters make comments such as “Interesting that we only contain natural colours” and “I can’t see you. Where are you?”

In advertising terms, it’s an aggressive strategy. The Natural Confectionery Company is out-shouting the market-leading brand significantly with its bold strategy and clear point of differentiation.

The humour of the campaign will appeal to children, while the natural credentials will appeal to both parents and sweet-toothed-but-health-conscious non-parents. Cadbury should see strong returns on its marketing investment.

As to Haribo, it has recently upped its spend (by 700% on the same period last year) and is highlighting that its sweets are also free of artificial colours. It all suggests The Natural Confectionery Company’s approach is working.