Paddington Bear tries Marmite

I thought this television advertising campaign was cute when I first saw it, but I didn't really understand the relation between the famous Paddington Bear and Marmite until now; Paddington and Marmite are two great British institutions. Paddington, who for 49 years has kept an emergency marmalade sandwich in his little lunch box, decides he needs to try something different and swaps his trademark sandwich for a Marmite one!

I personally hate Marmite (it's true, you either love it or hate it..), but I thought it was very clever of DDB London to illustrate the concept in an innovative way, especially by breaking habits of the bear. Paddington is the most famous sandwich-eater around and has eaten marmalade sandwiches forever. If he can change his habit, so can anyone.

Michael Bond, creator of Paddington, disagrees however: "I have to report that although Paddington found the sandwich interesting, bears are creatures of habit. It would require a good deal more than the combined current withdrawals from Northern Rock to wean him off marmalade, if then."

Not only is the advert targeting children, but also encourage mums to buy Marmite for the family's sandwiches. I believe that anything that introduces a new audience to old classic should be supported. A marmalade loving, but Marmite hating individual would probably disagree.