LOVE IT OR HATE IT?

Did you know that Marmite takes its name from the French term for a large covered cooking pot (as seen on the traditional label) and is the reason for the jar’s bulbous shape? Love it or hate it, the Marmite jar as taken on some inspired guises since it was first introduced to us in 1902.

Memorable limited editions that have connected with and echoed the brand’s marketing campaigns have appeared in shops over the past decade. Tinkering with the basic recipe and packaging design has made for some memorable and irresistible versions that were hard to miss. In 2007 we saw Guinness Marmite, a collaboration between two brands that resulted in a new recipe using 30% Guinness yeast. On Valentine’s Day in 2008 Champagne Marmite hit the shelves, containing 0.3% champagne, followed by Marsden’s Pedigree Marmite in 2009, which celebrated the Ashes Cricket test series. To mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in June 2012 there was Ma’amite and then Marmite Gold, adorning our newly glamorous toast with gold coloured flecks.

This summer, we saw what might be our favourite edition yet at Mzuri; the ‘Summer of Love’ and ‘Summer of Hate’ jars, playing on the brand’s famous ‘love it or hate it’ strapline: sending out both good vibrations and bad palpitations. The 1967 Woodstock-inspired designs were available for this summer only and their contents altered to give a lighter, more summery taste, the aim being to make more consumers lovers not haters.

Marmite released just ninety-four jars of the ‘Summer of Hate’ Marmite, one for each day of British summer. Did you spot one?

Images courtesy of www.marmite.co.uk

Finding such creative ways to keep such an established brand fresh and memorable, even amongst those who despise the spread, is no mean feat. It must be working though, if the Mzuri team’s responses are anything to go by!