BRAND EXTENSION PROJECT
THE IDEA
What if Nutella’s ingredients became brand characters?
The main idea is to teach children the value of friendship, emphasising respect, kindness, support, and unity as its core eleThe brand’s characters are a group of classmates who share meaningful and exciting adventures at school and beyond. Their stories are told through commercials and short branded animated episodes, available on YouTube Kids and on the brand’s official website.
If the project is well-received by the audience, it can be expanded to other media channels, merchandise and experiential
TARGET AUDIENCE: 3-7 y.o children / family
BRIEF RESEARCH
Nutella is a well-known brand of sweet hazelnut and cocoa spread.
Launched in 1964 by the Italian firm Ferrero, Nutella has grown into a beloved choice for breakfast and snacks across the globe. Its widespread appeal stems from a strong brand image, shaped by its unique name, iconic packaging, and emphasis on Italian roots and high-quality ingredients.
In the 1970s, Ferrero promoted its products through “Carosello”, a popular Italian TV show that blended entertainment and marketing by showcasing short comedic scenes and animated segments. For this format, Ferrero introduced two cartoon mascots - “The Gentle Giant” and “Jo Condor” - who became iconic figures in Italian pop culture.
Although the characters were highly successful, the company even tually phased them out to adapt to the evolving media landscape. Ferrero redirected its marketing efforts toward building emotional bonds with its audience, highlighting values such as togetherness, celebration, and the joy found in everyday moments with family and friends.
PROJECT SWOT
STRENGTHS
• Emotional connection with consumers
• Strong brand characters identity
• Entertaining
• Positive association with the brand
OPPORTUNITIES
• Brand Development
• Stronger attraction of young consumers
• Increase brand identity
• Increase consumers’ loyalty
WEAKNESSES
• Reference to ingredients considered controversial
THREATS
• Parents may prevent their children from consuming the product, causing little to no interactions with the characters
• Association to competitors’ mascots
PERSONA MAX
BRAND AWARENESS & INTERACTION
FAVOURITE BRANDS: LEGO, Nintendo, Marvel, Disney, McDonald’s (Happy Meal toys)
PREFERRED CHARACTERS: Pikachu, Spiderman, Sonic, Minions, Gru (Despicable Me)
EMOTIONAL CONNECTION DRI-
VERS: Characters who are funny, adventurous, kind, and a little mischievous
RESPONDS TO: Collectible items, character-driven narratives, bright colours, sound effects, interactivity
BASIC INFORMATION
AGE: 7
GENDER: Boy
LOCATION: Oxford, UK
SCHOOL YEAR: Year 3
FAMILY: Mum, dad, and younger sister (5 y.o)
PERSONALITY & INTERESTS
TRAITS: Curious, imaginative, talkative
HOBBIES: Drawing superheroes, watching cartoons, building LEGO, riding his scooter, playing video games
FAVOURITE SUBJECTS: Art and Science
LEAST FAVOURITE SUBJECT: Maths
ROLE MODELS: Spiderman, Bluey (from the TV show), and David Attenborough
MEDIA CONSUMPTION
TV SHOWS: Bluey, Pokémon, Horrid
Henry, Paw Patrol (still watches with sister), YouTube Kids
GAMES: Minecraft, Mario Kart
DEVICES USED: iPad, Nintendo Switch, TV
ONLINE BEHAVIOUR:
Watches game tutorials, funny animations, and cartoon clips
PARENTAL CONTROLS: Screen time limited to 1 hour/day on weekdays, 2 hours on weekends; no access to social media
MARKETING INSIGHTS
ENGAGEMENT TRIGGERS: Animation, catchphrases, humor, heroic storylines, pets or sidekicks
DISLIKES: Scary visuals, complicated rules, being “talked down to”
ASPIRATIONS: Wants to be an inventor or game designer
PARENTAL PRIORITIES: Educational value, age-appropriate content, non-aggressive characters, British cultural relevance
PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION
THE CHARACTERS
haz
Vibrant, witty, kind and friendly girl.
She loves exploring and playing outdoors, especially swinging and climbing on trees. She loves the sea and starfish.
milky
Patient, supportive, reliable and insightful boy. He loves creating things, learning and reading - especially about crafting. His dream is to create a world made of clouds.
coco
Calm, wise, generous, modest and shy girl. She loves reading, helping people, giving advice and shoes.
She admires Vanilla and so tries to imitate her style.
oly sugar vanilla
Cheeky, adventurous, smart and touchy boy.
He loves playing football and runs very fast. He gets easily angry, especially when he is mistaken for a ball while he plays football.
Charming, confident, vain and witty.
She loves dancing and rope jumping with friends.
She loves fashion and her dream is to become a model and fashion designer.
Friendly, charming, generous and conceited boy.
He loves martial arts, especially karate and is always ready to defend and help. He is fascinated by Vanilla and always tries to win her attention.
THE LOGO
THE PACKAGING
V2
V1
INDIVIDUAL PORTIONS
INITIAL ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN
OOH POSTERS
SHELF TALKERS
TV COMMERCIAL
TARGET AUDIENCE: 3 - 7 y.o
TIME FRAME: 20-25 seconds FORECAST TIME: 3:45 - 8:30 pm
Food planet: During a regular school day, all the ingredients are busy doing their tasks in class.
Haz can’t wait for the break time to arrive.Finally, the bell rings, and everyone runs to the schoolyard for playtime. While Haz is playing alone, her ball rolls away toward a group of bully classmates.
Meanwhile, Sugar, Oly, Milky, Coco, and Vanilla are having fun not far from her. One of the three bullies ( walnut, lemon and wheat), Nut, decides to spite her by throwing the ball over the perimeter wall of the schoolyard instead of giving her the ball back or playing with her.
The other ingredients witness the scene and, feeling very sorry for the poor Haz, decide to retrieve the ball, return it to her, and play together.
THE END
© Rossana Gombetti, 2025