Griffin’s series of 24 adverts is part product showcase, part anthropological study.
Twenty-four biscuits in a day might be a couple too many for most people, but Griffin’s latest campaign does just that – it’s what their customers want.
“We did quite a bit of work last year talking to consumers,” says Griffin’s marketing director Allison Yorston. “They were really clear that Griffin’s is part of many everyday conversations and moments they share with family and friends. And they said, ‘Please reflect the role that it plays.’”
The team took their advice seriously, naming the latest platform ‘Life needs a biscuit’ and grounding it in real-life stories. Whether it’s a post-breakup Chit Chat or a Toffee Pop at 4am with a newborn, the campaign captures small yet meaningful biscuit moments around the clock.
Take a snapshot
Yorston says basing the campaign on consumer feedback was a great starting point. With strong brand loyalty, 160-year-old Griffin’s didn’t need a rebrand, but wanted to show up in a more relevant way.
“We really didn’t want to change what Griffin’s means – we’re part of the New Zealand fabric and there’s a lot of trust and nostalgia. But when you look at New Zealand today, it’s changed so much over those years. We’re made up of many different cultures now, so we wanted to show that in quite an inclusive way,” says Yorston.
To achieve this, creative agency Motion Sickness came up with a mini doco series featuring 24 stories from across Aotearoa, one for each hour of the day.
“We described it as an anthropological study, one biscuit at a time,” says Sam Stuchbury, executive creative director at Motion Sickness.
Stuchbury and the team were inspired by a book series, A Day in the Life, which features photos from different countries around the world.
“Photographers would go around each country and take pictures in 24 hours. I’m obsessed with those books, because you get a snapshot of a place.
“And when we were talking about this platform, we thought, ‘What if we took a snapshot of New Zealand, and of all the life happening around a biscuit in a day?’”
More than happy moments
To reflect how Griffin’s is enjoyed across the country, the team looked for real people – putting up signs in supermarkets and on digital community noticeboards.
They were looking for all sorts, says Yorston: “From an urban and rural lens, to a demographic and cultural lens, and across different occasions.”
Stuchbury adds: “We ended up finding some really interesting stories – from a 6am swim to a night shift – you’ve got this colour running through the whole day.”
What makes the series special is the range of emotions captured, says Yorston.
“When we spoke to consumers about the campaign, another thing that came through quite strongly was: ‘Don’t just tell us about the happy moments. If you want to be real, sometimes life is really hard – and don’t be afraid to show that.’”
Easier said than done
Capturing and editing the unscripted footage was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster too.
“We shot for so long on each film,” says Stuchbury. “We’d have 45 minutes of people talking, and you’ve just got to go through and find the best bits. So there was a high volume of material to work through.
“One night Hilary – my partner, who’s our head of strategy – and I were driving home. She thought I was going to cry.
“She knew it wasn’t because I was sad – it’s one of my favourite projects – but because I had a long job list and 10 edits all at different stages. It’s just the mental load of it all.”
Yorston adds: “Until we’d shot, you didn’t actually know what content you were dealing with.”
Here to stay
Thanks to great teamwork, several well-dunked Gingernuts and plenty of emotional support, they’re happy with the result – ads that feel more like real life than a pack shot.
“I think as a marketer, it can be tempting to make your product or brand the centre of everything,” says Yorston. “But the reality is people have busy lives and make so many different decisions each day – they’re really the centre of their own lives. So it’s important to reflect as accurately as possible the role your brand actually plays in their lives.
“Of course, the biscuit is incredibly distinctive in the ads and out of home – you can’t miss it. But in the films, it doesn’t feel addy, but just part of the story.”
And ‘Life needs a biscuit’ is here to stay. “It feels simple yet broad and deep at the same time, and ideas like that don’t come along very often. When they do, you need to hold onto them, because consistency is key,” says Yorston.
Stuchbury adds: “We’re really excited to keep doubling down on it, using all those assets and finding new ways to reinvent the platform.”
“Ultimately, biscuits are about enjoyment,” Yorston says. “So if we can’t have fun working on a biscuit and snacking brand, then the world is a sad place.”
This story comes from NZ Marketing magazine issue 87, June-August 2026. Why not subscribe? Get four issues a year for just $50 (including delivery) if you autorenew.
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