Cadbury’s latest football-themed on-pack promotion offers broad consumer appeal – but how well does it perform under strategic scrutiny?

I assess clarity, value perception, and shopper experience. The findings reveal an engaging concept let down by executional flaws, including poor legibility and limited standout value.

Barriers to entry

I don’t like QR codes, but at least this one is at least in an obvious place and recognisable—I’m forced to use my mobile for it, which is inconvenient if you’re entering through a laptop. Next up is the necessity to enter a barcode and batchcode. These are long pieces of text to add accurately, once you’ve found them. Having done that (and used my phone torch to be able to see the codes) I had to select one of four female football players, none of which I’ve ever heard of. Only then am I asked for my details. The data collection seems excessive. Only first name and mobile/email are really needed. After entering all this, I was told that the spam filters have been unable to verify that I’m a real user and I was redirected back to the landing page, so I abandoned it. I really didn’t want to go through all that again.

Transcription of terms below:

UK & ROI, 18+ only. 10:00 28.04.2025 – 16:59 21.07.2025.

Purchase required for UK only, no purchase necessary for ROI. Internet, email & mobile required. Level 1 prizes: Visit gamechanging.cadbury.co.uk (UK) or gamechanging.cadbury.ie (ROI), register your details, select your region, enter the barcode & batch code found on pack (UK only), and choose a Participating Player.

Level 1 Prizes:

1 of 4 x Matchday Experiences with selected Player for winner + guest incl. travel & accommodation, 1 x Cadbury hamper, and 1 x signed shirt.

Level 1 winners drawn at random (1 per Participating Player) at the end of the promotion. Max 1 x Level 1 prize per household.

Level 2 Prizes:

100 pairs of matchday tickets for the 2025/26 football season at Participating Clubs**, subject to availability. Instant win + wrap-up draw.

Level 3 Prizes:

51 x £100 Lifestyle/AllGifts.ie vouchers and 150 x £50/€50 Lifestyle/AllGifts.ie vouchers. Instant win. Winners notified instantly on screen. Max 1 x Level 2 or Level 3 prize per household, 1 entry per day. Max 10 entries per person over the promotional period.

Wrap-Up Draw:

17:00 28.07.2025 – 16:59 21.01.2026. Prize: 1 x £100/€100 Lifestyle/AllGifts.ie voucher.

Proof of purchase may be required (UK only). All prizes are subject to applicable partner rules/regulations/guidance. Visit gamechanging.cadbury.co.uk (UK) or gamechanging.cadbury.ie (ROI) for full details.

Promoter:

UK: Mondelez Europe Services GmbH – UK Branch, Sanderson Road, Uxbridge, UB8 1DH.

ROI: Mondelez Europe Services GmbH – Irish Branch, Malahide Road, Coolock, Dublin 5.

Participating Clubs include:

Arsenal FC Women, Crystal Palace FC, Manchester United FC Women, Chelsea FC Women, and Liverpool FC Women.

Clarity

The description was definitely not clear. I knew it was a Win promotion to meet a football player, but that’s it. The deadline was pretty much impossible to find.

Prize appeal

I don’t know about this. My boys are football-mad and I know for a fact they wouldn’t want the prize. I’m not sure what demographic Cadbury is aiming at here. If it’s girls then that’s fine but it needs to be much clearer.

Purchase justification

There’s no sense of urgency or exclusivity on the pack and there’s no sense of timeliness. Why are they promoting this now? Why should I buy it now?

Ease of redemption

There is an instant win for tickets to selected clubs that most people don’t support. By the time the promotion has ended, I’m sure most people will have forgotten all about it.

Duration

Try to keep the duration of the promo short. This promotion lasts for three months, which in itself would be OK without all the other negatives.

Brand fit

Like many mass-market FMCG brands, Cadbury positions itself as being a moment of joy. Football isn’t a bad combination in this respect but it’s hardly unique.

The pack evokes a personality trait of Sociable which contradicts their Regal brand. I see nothing that would indicate Joy.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5
⭐⭐⭐★★