Shaken Udder Gets it Right the First Time

It’s a big moment when a small brand makes the step up into TV advertising. The investment required is daunting and compared to the more hands-on promotional work earlier in a brand’s life, the rewards can seem very abstract.

But for a growing brand with mass appeal in mind it’s absolutely the right step. TV provides wider reach, greater awareness, and a medium which remains the gold standard for getting and keeping viewer attention.

So when a brand takes that step and gets it right, it’s time to celebrate.

Premium milkshake brand Shaken Udder has grown to a £24m business since its 2004 launch and is enjoying double-digit growth while still a family-owned brand. In fact, the founders, staff and other friends of the brand play cameo roles in this joyful debut ad. The extras who pack out the courtroom setting are part of the extended Shaken Udder family.

The ad, created with agency Quiet Storm. has a simple premise. A stern judge takes a swig of Shaken Udder and before long he’s presiding over a percussive courtroom rave as everyone taps, claps, gavels and swivels to the rhythm he’s laying down. The ad’s tagline – “Do What Makes You Happy” – sums up the brand’s indulgent, relaxing appeal.

Indulgent appeal isn’t unique to Shaken Udder, and the idea that a sweet treat can transform a moment or mood from dull to joyful is one we’ve seen in ads before. It’s part of the category codes.

But Shaken Udder execute it brilliantly, with an emotional journey from anger and fear (at the grouchy judge) to sheer happiness. When big brands make this kind of ad, they often use expensive licensed songs or big name celebrities. Sure, those can work really well – but with a cast of friends and a burst of rhythmic delight, Shaken Udder prove you don’t need them to entertain for commercial gain.

The ad scores 4.2-Stars on Test Your Ad, with a similarly strong short-term Spike score. Both are a terrific result for TV first-timers. The Brand Fluency, though, is on the low side. That’s not Shaken Udder’s fault – in fact they make sure there’s a clear pack shot and brand mention early on. It’s just the price you pay as a small brand – low Fluency is exactly the problem TV advertising is good at solving. With a start like this, it’s a safe bet that next time we see Shaken Udder on our screens, a lot more people will know their name.