Who: Hershey, with FCB for strategy and creative; production by Sunneva (directed by Jason van Bruggen); casting by Powerhouse; media by UM; PR by Mint.

What: “The Power of Baking,” a three-part film series about the ways baking can become a life-enriching experience.

When & Where: The films (as well as 15 and six-second cutdowns) went live on social channels in early October before moving to cinema (Cineplex) and TV in mid-November, running until Dec. 31.

Why: Hershey’s says its Chipits brand is synonymous with baking, so rather than a campaign about Chipits, Hershey and FCB created content about the joys of baking

“We know that baking is one of the ways that we show care and love for the people in our lives,” said Rebecca Paddock, marketing manager, Hershey Canada. “But baking is more than the act of mixing ingredients together to create a baked good. Baking has power beyond what many of us think. Our goal was to explore the real, and surprising power of baking with love.”

This is a new platform for Hershey’s, which it plans to keep running into 2023.

How: The three films (each between 80 and 90 seconds) show how baking brings joy to the lives of three families:

• For Christine and her mother Madge, who has Alzheimer’s, baking helps with Madge’s memory;
• Joanie has Cerebral Palsy, and by baking with her sister Fanny, she improves her motor skills and becomes more independent; and
• Michael and his mother Lily bake together to learn each other’s first languages.

While the stories don’t mention Chipits, the people are baking with Chipits, and the package is there on the counter and in the background. Each spot ends with the super “Bake with Love” and the Chipits logo.

“Baking is more powerful than many people realize,” said Cuanan Cronwright, executive creative director, FCB Canada, in a release introducing the campaign. “To showcase this, we needed equally powerful, true stories. Great casting was imperative to showcasing real stories that demonstrate the unexpected power of baking.”

And we quote: “Our goal was to tell these authentic and powerful baking stories that elevated Hershey’s Chipits, and subsequently the category as well. At the same time, the message in the commercials and role the brand plays within, makes it clear that baking with love means baking with Hershey’s Chipits.” —Rebecca Paddock, marketing manager, Hershey Canada