Campaign at a glance
Subhead: Jacob’s and Boys + Girls premiere a new platform that trades gloss for the quotidian comfort of a biscuit
Jacob’s has launched a new brand platform called Bakes It Better, created with Dublin agency Boys + Girls and positioned around the small, recognisable frustrations of family life. The debut film, Dinosaur, follows a father who has gone all-in on a dinosaur-themed birthday party only to find his six-year-old now prefers unicorns — but the child’s affection for Jacob’s Mikados remains unchanged. The campaign will run across TV, VOD, social and digital, with a second instalment, Namaste, due to follow. (adworld.ie)
What the work does
The creative breaks from the overly polished family vignettes that dominate food advertising, instead leaning into understatement, observational detail and lightly ironical narration. Director Tomas Jonsgården, working through Ponder, favours restrained performances and a dry, almost British comic tone that lets the product earn its place in the story rather than being bolted on as a punchline. The approach is intentionally modest: a simple behavioural insight, a neat script and a product that performs a recognisable role in everyday life. (ponder.ie)
Why it matters commercially
Jacob’s is not a niche startup; it is a household name with roots stretching back more than 170 years. That heritage is useful shorthand for trust, but it can also be a trap if marketers rely on nostalgia over relevance. Valeo Foods, the group that manages Jacob’s today, has tasked Boys + Girls with turning brand familiarity into contemporary relevance without losing the product’s functional role at the moment of consumption. That is a pragmatic brief: keep the brand front of mind, keep the product believable, and nudge purchase decisions through likeable, repeatable creative. (adworld.ie)
Agency craft and production
Boys + Girls have been explicit about the brief’s simplicity: find a truthful behavioural insight and execute it with craft. The credits list reveals a tightly assembled team from creative strategy through production, and Ponder’s involvement underlines the campaign’s cinematic yet unshowy aesthetic. For an industry that often prizes novelty over fundamentals, there is a certain satisfaction to be had in advertising that aims to do the basics well. (adworld.ie)
A measured scepticism
The work is likable and neatly executed, but like any masterbrand play it will be judged on two things: cut-through and commercial impact. Ireland’s snack market is crowded and promotional activity heavily influences buying behaviour at shelf. A well-made brand film creates salience and goodwill, but conversion depends on availability, pricing and in-store activation. The campaign’s success will therefore hinge on how well Valeo aligns media reach with the retail mechanics that actually deliver sales. (valeofoods.ie)
Where this sits in Irish advertising
There is a recognisable trend in recent Irish advertising toward celebrating everyday domestic life while avoiding saccharine sentimentality. Jacob’s Bakes It Better fits that mould — it modernises a heritage food brand without pretending to reinvent it. For conservative marketers and shareholders, that is comforting: the spend buys craftsmanship and a clear creative idea, not a risky experiment. For critics who prize daring work that shifts perception dramatically, the campaign is unlikely to register as game-changing. Both readings have merit. (adworld.ie)
Final take
Bakes It Better is a tidy piece of brand stewardship. It does not overpromise, it foregrounds the product in believable moments, and it leans on production values that respect rather than overwhelm the insight. Whether that translates into measurable market share gains will depend on the follow-through: media optimisation, retail partnerships and the next wave of executions under the platform. Done properly, this is the kind of steady, commercially minded advertising that keeps legacy brands relevant without surrendering their identity. For readers who want the primary report, see the original coverage on AdWorld (www.adworld.ie) and the full item at https://www.adworld.ie/2026/09/11/jacobs-launches-new-bakes-it-better-platform-with-boys-girls/. (adworld.ie)
