Mondelez International’s confectionery brand, Trebor, has unveiled a campaign titled ‘Own it – Be Proud of How You Sound’, which showcases the diverse accents of real people across the country. The multichannel push was developed in partnership with creative agency, Elvis, with media planning and buying by Publicis Media.

Following the launch of Trebor’s ‘Own It’ brand platform last year, the campaign  aims to drive reappraisal of the Trebor brand among consumers aged 30 to 45. It seeks to empower its audience to embrace the truest version of themselves. It’s inspired by the fact that two out of three people change their accent in order to fit in, with accent anxiety making people speak up less in work and social situations (source: Savanta quantitative survey, 2023).

To ensure representation of a diverse range of accents, Trebor and Elvis chose to get the whole country to audition for its latest campaign. Earlier this year, a geo-targeted social campaign encouraged people from all regions of the country to record a Trebor ad in their own accent and send it as a voice note for a chance to get their voice on the radio.

The brand received over 2,000 entries, and to create the second phase of the campaign, 50 winners from all regions of the country were picked at random. These voices will now feature in 10 radio ads scheduled to run on the Heart, Capital, Smooth Radio, Magic and Kiss networks, as well as on Spotify.

Each ad features a mix of different voices, with people truly “owning” their accents, to inspire the nation to be proud of the way they speak, not embarrassed by it. The entries have helped to create the first UK Map of Accents, and the campaign is amplified by a series of bespoke digital billboards in key cities, featuring a QR code linking to the Instagram map.

“We know that those who feel anxious about their accent tend to speak up less in social situations, and some even change the way they speak, just to fit in,” said Trebor Brand Manager, Nancy Moore. As part of our ‘Own It’ brand platform, we want to remind people that their accents are part of their identity, and encourage them to own them, with pride! Our radio-led campaign is heroing people all around the country, giving them a real confidence boost.”