Helene Moland Daly has almost 30 years of experience in the media industry. For the last seven years she has been responsible for media and creative excellence across all platforms at Mondelēz, including chocolate brands Freia, Daim, and Marabou.
In today’s marketing world, we debate the efficacy of short-form vs. long-form content, the true ROI of influencer marketing, and how to build a brand that lasts.
But what if the answers to these modern marketing questions were solved almost a century ago?
Here at Marabou, the iconic Swedish chocolate brand from Mondelēz, we’ve found that our strategy for continuous growth — and remaining a market leader for almost 110 years — doesn't just come from the new.
It comes from mastering a set of timeless advertising principles, and translating them for each new marketing channel we want to use.
The 3 pillars of enduring marketing
For decades, our approach to marketing has been built on three core pillars that have guided us across every medium. From cinema screens to smartphone feeds:
- Always keep the product in focus. The conversation always starts and ends with the chocolate.
- Be distinctive. Our iconic yellow branding and unique aesthetic, including the product packaging — what we call our 'Yellow World' — creates memories that people instantly recognise.
- Be consistent over time. For nearly 70 years, our slogan, “Mmm… Marabou,” has reinforced our message.
These pillars provide the stability needed to help us achieve our marketing strategy. That is, to identify our entire audience, reach them, and continue to reach them over time.
A history of innovation
These principles don’t mean we’ve stood still. On the contrary, they’ve given us the confidence to be early adopters.
1921: The original long-form video content
Back in 1921, we launched a 20-minute commercial. At the time, going to the cinema was the entertainment, and our ad became part of that experience. We understood that given the right context, consumers would be willing to spend significant time with our brand story:
The film encapsulated Marabou’s story and local Swedish manufacturing. It began with a mission to democratise chocolate, transforming it from a luxury for the few into an everyday treat for everyone. That spirit of togetherness and inclusivity is the brand’s DNA.
The 1950s: The dawn of influencer marketing
In the 1950s, we partnered with the superstars of the time, Swedish actress Yvonne Lombard and director Sture Lagerwall, to help launch an improved version of our milk chocolate. This collaboration was so successful that it resulted in a 50% sales increase in the first year, and our famous "Mmm… Marabou" slogan was used for the first time. You can still see it on our ads today.
It was classic influencer marketing, proving that the key to success is finding an ambassador who genuinely loves your brand and letting that passion shine through.
Bringing our brand world to YouTube
So, where does a Swedish icon go to connect with its people in the 21st century? We go where the culture is happening: YouTube. It’s the modern town square where creators set trends, communities gather, and conversations start.
And that’s where we’ve created our “Mmm — the Champions" series, the modern evolution of both our 1920s long form content and 1950s influencer strategy.
The series features humorous and light-hearted episodes in collaboration with popular Swedish creators:
Just like with Yvonne Lombard, we select creators who are a natural fit for our brand values. We give them freedom, relying on their genuine passion for Marabou to make the series authentic. This allows them to become a seamless extension of our brand marketing team.
Our audience is incredibly passionate. They don’t hesitate to tell us what they think.
By listening to the conversation, we can move quickly. We’ve had instances where online chatter about our different chocolate flavours has sparked an idea for a piece of content. By responding quickly and playfully, we’ve seen those posts become some of our most engaging work, even in some cases sparking new product launches.
And with over 20 million views, it proves that if the story is right, people will dedicate their time to watch.
Playing the long game
The most rewarding part of my job is seeing how our hard work translates into measurable results, such as increased sales and brand recognition.
Our continued investment in YouTube has shown us over 100% improved efficiency across the last four years.
And we’ve been able to do all that, by always keeping the product in focus, being distinctive, and remaining consistent over time. Marketers today should have the confidence to play the long game. Instead of getting distracted by every new trend, focus on building your brand world and finding timeless ways to invite people in.
When you do that, you don’t just capture attention for a moment. You build a brand that can last for the next 100 years.
