With an animated cheese-rolling extravaganza, Mini Cheddars leans deeper into British humour, national cheese obsession, and digital playfulness in the latest iteration of its Cheddar Town platform.
Mini Cheddars is back with another delightfully daft campaign, and this time, it’s careening down a hill. Building on the success of its Cheddar Town platform, the baked snack brand has teamed up with TBWALondon for a new campaign that continues to celebrate Britain’s long-standing obsession with cheese, tapping into one of the most eccentric national pastimes: the annual Gloucestershire cheese rolling competition.
Titled Cheese Rolling, the animated campaign centres on a fictional race through the charmingly chaotic Cheddar Town, led by a cast of cheese-fanatic characters with personalities as strong as the cheddar they adore. Featuring bold visuals, witty writing, and a fresh injection of modern digital storytelling, the spot is both a tribute to Mini Cheddars’ roots and a bid to roll the brand into new, younger audiences.
For TBWALondon creative director Harriet Russell-Vick, returning to Cheddar Town felt like a no-brainer. “As fanatical lovers of cheese ourselves, we wanted to bring some new flavour to the concept—because is there ever a wrong time to talk about cheese?” she says. With the real Gloucestershire cheese-rolling event set to return in May 2025, the moment was ripe for a cheeky nod to this uniquely British tradition.
The campaign’s creative centrepiece is an animated film bursting with energy and vibrant detail. It reintroduces us to beloved characters like Glady’s and company, now battling it out in a fast-paced race downhill, where the prize is—as always—more cheese. The humour is unmistakably British: playful, wry, and filled with knowing nods that appeal as much to nostalgic adults as they do to younger viewers.
“We wanted to appeal to all ages,” says Russell-Vick. “But we made sure to have that ‘if you know, you know’ humour in there to make our adult audience raise a smile—maybe even a laugh.” That tonal balance was central to the animation style, which blends retro textures with slick, contemporary movement. The result is a campaign that’s both comfortingly familiar and creatively fresh.
TBWALondon has also expanded Cheddar Town into the digital realm with social-first content, influencer collaborations, and even a real-life cheese-rolling competition to get fans rolling in their own towns. “Cheese fanatics are everywhere—they’re not just confined to Cheddar Town,” says Russell-Vick. “It was time to bring the cheese from our town to yours.”
By taking the campaign beyond traditional advertising, the team is creating a brand experience that’s immersive, shareable and primed for community engagement. Whether it’s a short clip on TikTok or a behind-the-scenes character profile on Instagram, the creative rollout invites audiences to step into the absurd, endearing world of Cheddar Town.
This holistic approach builds on the success of the original Cheddar Town campaign, which exceeded growth targets and picked up multiple industry awards. Rather than reinvent the wheel (or cheese), TBWALondon focused on deepening the world-building, refining the humour, and finding new ways to connect with audiences.
“If we’re being honest, it was about keeping the momentum going,” says Russell-Vick. “Cheddar Town isn’t going anywhere, and we couldn’t be happier about that. We just wanted to push those cheese boundaries a little further.”
That expansion includes a greater focus on character development and storytelling, with each campaign iteration giving different members of the Cheddar Town cast their moment in the spotlight. This time, it’s Glady’s turn to shine—quite literally, as she flings herself headfirst into the race.
Through these evolving narratives, the campaign reinforces the brand’s core identity while gently refreshing its appeal for new audiences. As Russell-Vick puts it, “Nothing says you’re crazy about cheese more than hurling yourself down a hill after one, does it?”
It’s this sense of total cheese commitment—unapologetic, energetic, and a little bit ridiculous—that makes Mini Cheddars’ campaign so memorable. And if the latest spot leaves you craving a packet of Mini Cheddars, you’re not alone.
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