For more than three decades, the Cadbury Bunny has signaled the approach of Easter and spring. For decades, ads were simple. Put a bunch of adorable animals on bunny ears and call it a day. But six years ago, Cadbury reversed their long-running ads by allowing any old furball to audition to be the next “bunny.” In 2019 and 2020, it went to two adorable pooches. In 2021, the title went to a frog. In 2022, it’s back to a dog, and in 2023, it’s to a one-eyed rescue cat named Crash. And now, the competition is back — but this time, everyone on social media gets to say who will win the title, too.
“Every spring, Cadbury puts out a call to pet owners who want to cast the next big star of its beloved Cadbury Bunny Tryouts ad spot,” a company spokesperson shared with Food & Wine via of email. “This year, for the first time, Cadbury will be taking part in March Madness where furry friends can enter to compete in a bracket-style elimination tournament on Instagram.”
Entering is simple: Pet parents must follow @CadburyUSA on Instagram. Next, they must post a photo or video of their pet on their personal feed explaining why their fur ball (or slithering snake, scaly reptile, whatever) should be the 2024 Cadbury Bunny. Entrants must post from a public Instagram account and tag the Cadbury brand, as well as use #CadburyBunnyContest in their post.
Submissions are now open. As for what pet parents can avoid, Cadbury explained that the winning pet will receive up to $7,000 in cash prizes and the chance to star in its next commercial. Finalists will also receive a little something. Those who pass the first round (aka the “Crème Sixteen”) will win $100 each. The next round (“A Litter of Eight”) will each receive $200. The next round (Final Fur) will receive $400, the final two will each receive $800, and of those two, the winning animal will walk away with $5,500.
“The spring season is a special time for our Cadbury team, but the Cadbury Bunny Tryout is perhaps the best part of all,” shared Natalie Shuntich, senior associate marketing manager, Cadbury, at The Hershey Company. “The annual competition has become a moment that consumers eagerly await, and it’s an honor to engage with both Cadbury fans and pet lovers, making them a central part of our brand. Given the timing of the 2024 Easter season, a bracket approach is a natural way for us to bring the competition to social media to engage a new audience of Cadbury fans.”
And, of course, it’s also about the nostalgia factor.
“Many may remember the iconic commercial from their childhood featuring a rabbit,” said Shuntich, “but over the past five years, we’ve seen the competition evolve to see three dogs, a frog, and a rescue cat that got their bunny ears.” So really, the sky’s the limit. Go ahead and submit your iguana, llama, your pony, or that adorable pet rock.
