One of my absolute favourite business stories is the slightly bemusing legal battle between Marks & Spencer and Aldi over a pair of lookalike Caterpillar Cakes named Colin and Cuthbert at starkly different prices.
For reasons unbeknownst to anyone except the staffers of M&S, the presence of Cuthbert (which at the time of the court case not many had heard of) was of grave concern and warranted an all guns blazing court case that they believed they’d win.
From a legal standpoint M&S did get their way as Cuthbert was forced to change his appearance however Aldi had the last laugh; winning the PR battle and turning their bargain caterpillar cake into an icon.
Throughout the case, Aldi have used social media to portray their side of the narrative with a series of tongue-in-cheek posts that mock M&S and paint their cake in such a light that it seems an underdog hero (or as much as a caterpillar cake can be).
Capitalising on this public support, Aldi have reignited the PR battle and taken it beyond the polarising world of social media with their latest advert.
In their typically outlandish style, Aldi have dressed people up as caterpillars to personify their lovable cakes and continue the idea that Cuthbert is a viable alternative to Colin and at a fraction of the cost – a key consideration in the current climate.
Aldi has form with clever campaigns that mock the big brands and promote their value proposition with their 2019 ‘Like Brands, Only Cheaper’ advert featuring a humorous grandma’s taste in tea and gin winning YouGov’s Marketing Campaign of the Decade.
Despite their German roots, Aldi’s sarcastic marketing campaigns of late have successfully played on the British sense of humour which has in part helped them secure 4th spot in the UK grocery market: no mean feat as they toppled Morrisons.
For me, the whole caterpillar cake debacle epitomises everything I love about clever marketing: acting quickly on a competitor’s move, using social media to your advantage, showing a sense of humour and having little regard for the consequences – long may it continue!
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