Mars Wrigley Confectionery UK has announced the launch of two brand extensions for Maltesers.

Maltesers Buttons, a new bitesize treat, has the same ingredients as regular Maltesers but offers consumers a chocolate button with the brand’s signature crunchy texture. Maltesers Truffles contain the familiar crunch and melt combination with a new creamy truffly texture.

As part of the brand’s strategy to attract younger audiences, the Maltesers Buttons launch will be backed by a £1.3m digital-only media spend on channels like YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. The creatives will leverage the playfulness of Maltesers to give shoppers a new way to look on the light side.

Maltesers Buttons will be available from mid-July with a suite of complementary pos to create a 360-degree shopper journey, including digital channels and outside of store advertising. Mars Wrigley Confectionery UK will also provide pre-filled units for maximum impact in store to stand out and drive impulse purchases.

Maltesers Truffles are Mars Wrigley Confectionery UK’s first step into a premium chocolate offering and both product and packaging are intended to extend Maltesers into all-year-round premium gifting.

Maltesers Truffles will also launch mid-July, and Mars Wrigley Confectionery UK is investing £1.2m marketing spend behind the launch with a digital campaign set to reach over 60% of the UK. Instore activation support will include premium pos and media tools that will be focused on driving trial, awareness and conversion.

Rebecca Shepheard-Walwyn, Maltesers brand director, Mars Wrigley Confectionery UK, said: “We are extremely excited to be launching these new brand extensions to express two different elements of Maltesers, one of the UK’s biggest heritage brands. Maltesers Buttons will reintroduce the brand to younger consumers while Maltesers Truffles will grow the category through being perfect for those special gifting occasions.”

Lauren George, brand and trade PR manager, Mars Wrigley Confectionery UK said: “Maltesers, one of Mars Wrigley Confectionery UK’s biggest brands, is set to fuel huge category growth with two new brand extensions. Retailers should be sure to stock up on these new products to capitalise on the media spend and maximise sales.”

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