Milka’s Marmot Returns After 20 Years In New Patamilka Spot

By Heather Taylor
In 1999, a hiker stumbled across a cottage in the European countryside. Curious, he peeked in the window to see a sweet world unfolding before his eyes. Chocolate was being made here, specifically chocolate confections from the Milka brand, and a marmot wrapped each bar in foil. Not surprisingly, nobody in the outside world could believe the hiker saw such a thing.

Twenty years later, Milka’s famous marmot commercial has returned to French TV screens. The new campaign from ad agency Buzzman is for Patamilka, Milka’s first chocolate spread.
The Milka Marmot Returns!
This time around, the hiker is a traveling marmot. The marmot gazes into the same cottage, seeing the cows, dog, and family making rich chocolate from twenty years ago. Who is helping spread Patamilka on a slice of bread? It’s a little boy!

The marmot rushes to tell everyone (read: the other marmots) about what is happening inside the cottage. However, they do not believe him. Join the club with the human hiker, buddy.
Evolution Of Milka’s 20-Year-Old Commercial
The 2019 spot is recreated as closely, shot for shot, to the original 1999 commercial as possible Award-winning director Hervé de Crécy joined Buzzman to direct the spot.
Crécy is also one of the directors behind the animated French film Logorama, which features appearances from brand mascots like the Michelin Man and Ronald McDonald. Mathematic, a studio that specializes in 3D animation, also worked alongside Crécy and Buzzman in recreating the original spot.

Is The Marmot Milka’s Brand Mascot?
While the marmot may be a familiar face with audiences, the character is not the Milka’s brand’s official mascot. That honor goes to the Milka Cow, which is spotted grazing in a field at the very end of the 1999 Milka marmot commercial.

According to the Milka website, the Milka Cow was created in 1972. By 1973, the character had become a prominent figure in the chocolate brand’s advertising campaigns. The Milka Cow turned 25 in 1998, making the beloved bovine 45-years-old today. We can’t wait to see how they celebrate the icon’s 50th anniversary!
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