The Honey Monster is Back in Town with a Whole New Look

For 38 years Honey Monster has been an icon of British advertising. Originally created by advertising legend John Webster, his character was then subsequently re-interpreted through the decades by various agencies - from childish charmer to cuddly celebrity to comedy clown.

By 2014 he cut a rather forlorn figure. Like a once great seventies footballer, he was now wallowing in the lower leagues of public consciousness. Fame is a hard mountain to climb again when you’ve fallen out of the limelight. Particularly as the whole breakfast cereal category has been in steep decline, and the product he advertised had ‘sugar’ in its name - currently public enemy number one in terms of ingredients.

Nostalgia is a powerful emotion, but it doesn’t necessarily drive sales. Brand owner Halo Foods knew that Honey Monster & Sugar Puffs needed to change if he was to be relevant and fighting fit for 2015.

The Gate Creative Partner Alistair Ross commented: “We pitched the idea that Honey Monster had finally grown up – monster adolescence being longer than most. Honey Monster needed to appeal to the child in everyone; but to laugh with, rather than laugh at. So he evolved from King of Clumsiness to Creator of Mischief. Fun, but on a monster scale. Fun that was outdoors (where a monster should be.) Fun that unites. Fun monsterfied.”

Honey Monster would be more athletic (a less cumbersome suit was created) and he’d bring to life giant outdoor games that would have the child in everyone wanting to run and join in. These outdoor games were designed to transcend from film to experiential, allowing greater participation beyond the film.

Inspired by Spike Jones’s “Where the Wild Things Are”, director Alex Turner was enlisted to deliver a commercial that was more epic feature film trailer than Honey Monster’s previous cartoon capers. 

In the film “Monstercatch”, the tinkle of new Honey Monster Puffs into a bowl awakens the world of the Honey Monster. There we see a boy join other children in a game of trying to catch water-bombs catapulted through the air by the Honey Monster.

Accompanying the action, Honey Monster delivers a philosophical ode to fun, revealing a more thoughtful side of his grown up character. One that understands what it is to feel like you don’t fit in, but that encourages children to celebrate their individuality regardless. The Royal Philharmonic orchestra provided the suitably monsterfied film score for the first outing. 

At the same time as developing the film with The Gate, Halo Foods have undertaken a comprehensive transformation of the brand – not only changing the formulation of the product to include more delicious honey and less sugar, but going so far as to drop the name ‘Sugar Puffs’ and rename it ‘Honey Monster Puffs’. New packaging, website and social, and promotions are also planned for the year ahead.

Andy Valentine, Marketing Director of Halo Foods commented: “The initial reaction to the rebrand has been fantastic and we’ve seen sales increase in a very short space of time. The plans we have in place for 2015 – especially the triumphant return of the Honey Monster to UK tv screens – will only add to this.”