Brands for life - Haribo

 
I’m seven and my Dad has just got back from Berlin. How exciting!
 
My dad being back is obviously exciting in itself, but not as exciting as what he has in his bag. Cute, colourful clothes… blah blah… casette walkmen… whatever… chocolate with hazelnuts… yeah yeah… NEXT (that’s a lie actually, I love chocolate with hazelnuts, but they have to be the whole ones!).
 
And there they are, the loves of my life, the Haribo Gold Bears (or Miski as they are known in my family). A dream come true. The look, the texture, the taste, the full package.
 
Haribo is a German confectionery producer, founded in 1920 by Hans Riegel. The name is an acronym for Hans Riegel, Bonn. How embarrassing that I know that.
 
Years ago, I made myself believe that Haribo was the least bad out of all sweets and that's why I still treat myself once a week to an evening of indulgence until I feel slightly dizzy and totally disappointed that yet again I ate the whole pack and did not "leave the rest for later".
 
With a 250g bag costing just £1, it's just a dangerous business. Besides, do people really leave sweets for later?
 
When I was young(er) I used to eat my sweets and my brother’s and then fill his Haribo bag making it look unopened (I’m really sorry!). The only art of culinary deception more challenging is to make a bar of chocolate look uneaten. but I was a pro at that too. Again, vaguely embarrassing, but it’s a skill in itself.
 
Haribo is the biggest manufacturer of gummi and jelly sweets in the world, with flagship products like Gummi Bears. But for me, the Gold Bears are untouchable, the best of the best (with an honourable mention for Starmix).
 
There is only one "but". I find their advertising rather unfulfilling and unsatisfying.
 
Bordering on annoying, actually. Eating their products makes me happy in the simplest and purest way, watching their TV spot does not.
 
Using humour in advertising is never an easy task. Often something that looks funny as a storyboard, loses its appeal when seen as a finished creative product. Haribo ads feel a bit dated, predictable and lack credibility. The brand would benefit from introducing real joy or more believable quirkiness to their expression and maybe go a step further and ditch their Haribo sound track they have used for years. 
 
There is so much they could do; somebody please help them, so that I can love the Haribo brand as much as I love their Miski.
 
Polish slogan says, "Haribo smak radości" (Haribo The taste of joy). I couldn’t agree more.
 
Loyal till my last breath (and tooth….).
 
Long live Haribo!
 
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