The Cottage Smallholder

This post has been sponsored by Mr Kipling, but all thoughts are my own.
I love the granny in Mr Kipling’s new advertisement. As we never see her face she is the archetypal generous and slightly mysterious old lady. With the help of her special tin she can make what you are thinking appear in the form of one of the large range of Mr Kipling cakes. The fact that each cake is offered on a tiny old fashioned tea plate is so grannyish too.

This charming advertisement conjures up the epitome of happy childhood days and the simple pleasure of indulging in one of Mr Kipling’s cakes. It is shot at a child’s perspective – Granny is only seen at tin and waist level. The emphasis is upon creative homemade fun – there’s not a Game Boy or a television set to be seen here. Dressing up is a childhood pleasure that most of us have experienced. The childish belief that dressing up in an outfit enables you to become the object of your desire – a fairy, a princess, a scary animal.

The fact that these costumes are so clearly homemade – like the wonderful cardboard dinosaur head and the slightly tatty furry bear outfit just adds to the appeal of the advertisement. Of course it’s the pretty, dainty cakes that are the real stars of this show – special treats given by an indulgent granny.

Of course in any childhood game there’s the element of magic – as adults we call this the suspension of disbelief. I remember so well coming in for tea at the end of a long and really good game. I’d been a pirate, a ghost, a shipwrecked survivor. I’d felt their pleasure and pain (but not too much of the latter). I’d lived in another being’s shoes. As adults we just see children diving into a dressing up box. It’s so easy to forget that sometimes there is a total immersion in fantasy.

This advertisement stretches the fantasy element still further. Granny seems to know what you are thinking and can match these thoughts to one particular cake from her magical tin. As she lifts the lid, the reveal combines surprise and indulgent pleasure.

And of course the unspoken secret is that if you have a sweet tooth, each and every cake will be savoured and enjoyed.