Bringing Swizzels’ 70-year legacy to life through a creative, social-first campaign that spanned across generations

Since 1928, they have been creating the sweets generations have grown up with – from Refreshers and Drumstick Lollies to Love Hearts, Parma Violets and Squashies. With a legacy built on fun, flavour, and nostalgia, Swizzels remains a staple in homes across the country.

Following the previous success of our 95th birthday campaign with Swizzels, we were invited to develop a social-first campaign celebrating one of their most iconic products – Refresher, in celebration of its 70th birthday. 

The goal was to hero the brand through a user-generated content–led campaign that encouraged fans to share their real, nostalgic memories. By reigniting emotional connections with the product, the campaign aimed to keep Refreshers front-of-mind, deepen brand loyalty, and drive engagement across social media.

Rather than creating a product-first social campaign, we wanted to personify the brand through customer experiences spanning generations. We believe everyone has a ‘Refreshers’ memory. Because of this, we prioritised platforms where nostalgia and community naturally happen. Content was designed to encourage interaction and sentiment through prompts, conversation starters, and shareable formats.

The campaign asked consumers to share their favourite Refreshers memories, from playground swaps, after-school corner shop visits, and introducing the sweet to their own children. Our strategy was to transform the nostalgia into active engagement, putting fans at the centre of the celebration. 

User-generated content played a central role in building authenticity. By encouraging audiences to share personal stories and memories, we built an emotional connection while organically increasing reach. Selected entries were highlighted across channels to further boost the sense of community and shared engagement. 

Creatively, we wanted to create a bold, vibrant visual identity that modernised the sweet brand while remaining true to its heritage. ‘Then vs. Now,’ storytelling was done with archival imagery and contemporary recreations to celebrate the evolution of the brand.

Hero creative was used to announce the milestone birthday, but there were also dedicated assets that spotlighted the launch of Refreshers Tropical, positioned as the next exciting chapter in the brand journey. 

We produced key deliverables, including templates, brand assets, and clear guidelines for the internal team at Swizzels, so execution stayed consistent across organic, paid, and PR channels.

Through our strategic and creative approach, Swizzels drove positive sentiment and meaningful conversation among both long-standing fans and new audiences. 

With the paid media support alongside the strategy, the campaign reached both loyal Refreshers buyers and new audiences, particularly younger consumers and families. This maintained visibility in the competitive landscape and strengthened brand awareness.

This activity successfully reinforced Refreshers as a culturally relevant and timeless favourite, proving that a 70-year-old brand can continue to feel exciting, current, and loved across generations.