Core Design has created an exclusive run of 200 hand-crafted
jars for the launch of new extra-matured Marmite ‘XO’. A brand iconic in the UK, which has remained virtually unchanged for decades. The new flavour variant has been developed
through an innovative social media campaign, creatively directed by The Core. In a unique example of
consumer engagement, the brand offered its thirty biggest fans (so-called
‘super-lovers’) the chance to be inducted into a secret society, The Marmarati...(more after the break)

There they were given responsibility for refining the flavour, telling their
story via blogs, social media sites and recruiting a wider group of members.
Thanks to their work, hundreds of Lovers submitted proof of their love to www.marmarati.org in the hope of being
initiated into The Marmarati’s ‘Second Circle’. One hundred and sixty made the
grade.

Tasked with creating a
beautiful, highly-collectable piece to reward this group for their efforts and
welcome them into the society, The Core focussed on building rich vintage cues
around Marmite’s key equities: black and gold. Each jar was hand-dipped in
black wax and stamped with the gold crest of the Marmarati. The lids were
finished with a watchstrap detail, individually signed and numbered by Lord
Marmarati himself.

The resulting packs
arrived with fans, selected press and buyers with an accompanying ‘taster’ jar
of the finished XO product.  Says
Unilever’s Tom Denyard, Marketing Manager for Marmite, “The commemorative jar
had to be something special – we were asking people to give up their time to
submit proof of their love for the brand and the jar was their reward. It’s a
testament to the quality of the design that when we ‘leaked’ images of how it
would look, Twitter and Facebook exploded with conversation and entries
increased threefold. Our Lovers just had to have one.”

Marmite XO will be
unveiled to consumers in March, in a special pack designed by The Core.