Bliss = dancing with the devil (chocolate)

Chocolate and I have a very special relationship. It plays an integral role in my 'me time'. Often partnered with a glass of vino and a ridiculously cheesy 'chick-flick', chocolate brings me great pleasure.

Yet this relationship is more than special. It is quiet curious. Because chocolate is my naughtiness. I am succumbing to a very raw desire to indulge. Breaking free of my 'health shackles', I am doing nothing more than following my bliss. Pure and naked, I unashamedly luxuriate in the moment.

It is not surprising then that Saatchis' contentious advert in the UK for the Cadbury Flake has sparked my interest.

A very wise colleague of mine stands by the principle that an ad is on the road to success if it incites an emotional response that makes you 'sad, mad or glad'. Flake's ad makes me glad. Glad because someone has finally realised that eating chocolate is not necessarily a serene, peaceful and innocent experience. As I have made quiet clear above, it is almost the opposite for me. And for an ad to recognize this makes me glad.

The ad has obvious cut through within the chocolate category. Is anyone going to forget a dancing devil juxtaposed against an enchanting operatic soundtrack in a hurry? It is definitely different to the standard chocolate ad that generally depicts a single lady wrapped in a cocoon of silk, sensuously sucks on a piece of chocolate.

Of course, an ad's cut through will only get it so far if it's not anchored in a powerful message. The Flake ad is based on a very real insight into women's relationship with chocolate. For many, it's a naughty but hugely euphoric experience. The experience is a moment in time, when nothing else matters except for your dance with the devil: chocolate. The Flake message is therefore loud and clear: "Eating a Flake will illicit a raw and unashamedly indulgent behaviour as your savour every morsel that touches your lips". It really is the 'taste of chocolate never tasted before'.

What I am less convinced of is the ad’s depiction of women as submissive and ghoul like. This is where I think the strategy got a little lost in the art direction. Because for women, their ‘moment’ with chocolate is less about being dominated by an evil force and more about freely indulging in this bliss. Now I don’t want this to be misconstrued as a feminist rant. I am simply looking for the ad to reflect human behaviour. And I honestly feel the power play between the devil and the women slightly misses the mark.

All in all, i am impressed. The verdict? Run it, I say, run it. It’s bold. It’s courageous. And for the most part, it’s true to womens’ chocolate moment.