Support England in the World Cup? Believe it...
Two months before the Football World Cup in South Africa some confectionary companies started to issue a number of their products with the 'Three Lions' (the shirt badge of the England Football Team) on the wrappers. This included Mars UK, who distributed a renamed version of their famous Mars Bar.
Called 'Believe', it was conceived to rally England fans for the World Cup.
This is the first name change since it was first made in 1920, and will revert to 'Mars' after the tournament ends in July.
Two months before the Football World Cup in South Africa some confectionary companies started to issue a number of their products with the 'Three Lions' (the shirt badge of the England Football Team) on the wrappers. This included Mars UK, who distributed a renamed version of their famous Mars Bar.
Called 'Believe', it was conceived to rally England fans for the World Cup.
This is the first name change since it was first made in 1920, and will revert to 'Mars' after the tournament ends in July.
Andrea Taylor, of Mars, said: "As the nation's favourite chocolate bar, Mars is in an ideal position to fuel positivity for the World Cup."
Uh huh.
Rivals Nestle will feature images of England's 1966 victory on Kit Kats and Yorkies.
Marketing magazine Brand Republic said "It's the biggest sports marketing opportunity of the decade - companies don't want to be left behind."
Uh huh.
The 'Believe' range is also available in Scotland, Wales and Ireland, although due to negativity and public complaint "a more general philosophical message" was to be applied, or implied, in those areas (whatever the hell that means), as those Nation's teams failed to make the finals. The 'Believe' version was still, however, available in Scotland.
Uh huh.
What Mars, Nestle, and all the others fail to understand is that for every passive or ambivalent football (or supportive) fan in the Celtic countries who don't care, or mind, how well England perform in the tournament, there are nine others supporting whoever England are playing - primarily because of the saturation and jingoism of the English media, sporting pundits, promoters and sponsors.
Most of the English fans understand (and indeed could care less about whether any of their neighbours support their National Team) but the previously mentioned, along with the marketing companies, never get it.
This 'Anyone But England' sporting stance would take too long to explain further (and for the record I have been a supporter/ fan of the London football club Tottenham Hotspur for nigh on forty years), but it's summarised within my own 'Danbury Mint' letters that are hosted on this site.
I feel it's only fair, for balance and equality, that Mars issue another renamed bar and sell it exclusively in Scotland, and I guarantee good sales for the company should they choose to do so - in fact for every one 'Believe' bar purchased, I 'believe' (sorry, too easy) nine of the alternatively wrapped bars would be sold...
Uh huh.
Rivals Nestle will feature images of England's 1966 victory on Kit Kats and Yorkies.
Marketing magazine Brand Republic said "It's the biggest sports marketing opportunity of the decade - companies don't want to be left behind."
Uh huh.
The 'Believe' range is also available in Scotland, Wales and Ireland, although due to negativity and public complaint "a more general philosophical message" was to be applied, or implied, in those areas (whatever the hell that means), as those Nation's teams failed to make the finals. The 'Believe' version was still, however, available in Scotland.
Uh huh.
What Mars, Nestle, and all the others fail to understand is that for every passive or ambivalent football (or supportive) fan in the Celtic countries who don't care, or mind, how well England perform in the tournament, there are nine others supporting whoever England are playing - primarily because of the saturation and jingoism of the English media, sporting pundits, promoters and sponsors.
Most of the English fans understand (and indeed could care less about whether any of their neighbours support their National Team) but the previously mentioned, along with the marketing companies, never get it.
This 'Anyone But England' sporting stance would take too long to explain further (and for the record I have been a supporter/ fan of the London football club Tottenham Hotspur for nigh on forty years), but it's summarised within my own 'Danbury Mint' letters that are hosted on this site.
I feel it's only fair, for balance and equality, that Mars issue another renamed bar and sell it exclusively in Scotland, and I guarantee good sales for the company should they choose to do so - in fact for every one 'Believe' bar purchased, I 'believe' (sorry, too easy) nine of the alternatively wrapped bars would be sold...
Ross Muir
May 2010
Footnote:
As it turned out, England didn't come close to winning the 2010 World Cup.
Nor did they ever look like contenders, Believe it or not.
May 2010
Footnote:
As it turned out, England didn't come close to winning the 2010 World Cup.
Nor did they ever look like contenders, Believe it or not.