Marmite Started A ‘Smuggling Ring’ To Move Its Spread Into The US
Photo 202759770 © Péter Gudella | Dreamstime.com
Marmite is spreading some of its polarizing goodness across the pond in a, thankfully, legal initiative that had fans across the UK secretly ferrying the spread to expats craving a taste of home.
Known for its love-it-or-hate-it reputation, Marmite is a staple in many British households and famous for its distinctive umami flavor. The campaign, cooked up by creative agency adam&eveDDB, cleverly capitalizes on this divisive nature, recruiting UK residents for a smuggling operation that wouldn’t look too out of place in a historical drama about bootleggers or cold war spies.
These posters, plastered around London as if advertising an underground operation, asked a simple question: “Willing to smuggle Marmite?” alongside a contact number. The response drew over 250 individuals joining the WhatsApp group within hours, eager to be part of the tongue-in-cheek smuggling ring.
For context, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) regulation only allows travelers to carry liquids in 3.4-ounce containers or smaller, and Marmite’s foresight in introducing a travel-sized jar in 2015 suddenly became an invaluable asset for the caper. This limitation turned into a logistical cornerstone for the smuggling scheme, enabling the new undercover operatives to legally carry the spread across borders.
The mission, initially aimed to recruit until April 29, successfully enlisted over 500 volunteers. These modern-day smugglers managed to transport 87 jars of Marmite to New York, with six successful missions completed. As a token of appreciation, these daring individuals were rewarded with limited-edition ‘Smuggler’ Marmite jars.
Despite the inherent risks, including the slim possibility of customs complications, participants embarked on their missions without the promise of flights or legal support from the campaign. This added an element of genuine adventure to the operation, with Chris Brailey, associate creative director at adam&eveDDB, emphasizing to Ad Age, “So far no one's been arrested.”
[via Ad Age and More About Advertising, images via various sources]
