Aero (chocolate)
Encyclopedia
Aero is a milk chocolate bar filled with bubbles of air, made by Nestlé
and primarily sold in the United Kingdom (where it originated), the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, Argentina, Australia, Middle East and Canada.
.
Registration of the trademark and manufacture to market started soon after.
Aero (with a caramel layer on top of the chocolate layer), Dark Chocolate Aero, White Chocolate Aero, Latte flavour Aero and Crispy Aeros (similar to Nestlé Crunch
bars). Orange
Aeros (orange/chocolate layered) were sold for a while as well, and larger 100g sized bars are currently available in some stores. In the 1970s there were also Strawberry
flavour bars. In the UK, and recently Canada, Aero Bubbles are also available. These are small, round chocolates with a bubbly centre, available in Milk Chocolate and Mint flavours and a mixture of both.
Japan has produced dozens of unique Aero flavours, among them Vanilla Milkshake, Hot Milk, Green Tea and others. They usually consist of a flavoured, coloured chocolate centre and outer milk chocolate layer. Aero Cocoa (plain, Green Tea and Strawberry flavours) is also sold in Japan. Released in 2006, the Aero Vanilla Yoghurt flavour was released only in Canada. As with all other Aero bars manufactured by Nestlé in Canada and Nicaragua, it is manufactured in a peanut-free facility. In Australia there is also an Aero Temptations bar, which has the bubbly chocolate, but with a caramel topping. In Ireland there was an Irish Cream flavour Aero.
In 2010 in the UK, Nestlé modified the ingredients and colouring of the Mint Aero Bubbles product. This resulted in the product retaining its mint flavour, but losing its distinctive green bubble interior. This has been explained by Nestlé as being a response to corporate policy to remove food colourings from the product. There has, however, been no indication that the Mint Aero chocolate bar is to be modified in the same way.
Aero Mint now contains colours derived from a natural source; Copper Complexes of Chlorophyllins and Circumin.
In Brazil the bar is known as Suflair. In Hungary it is sold by Nestlé as Boci Aero and in the Netherlands it is sold by Nestlé as Bros (meaning "brittle"). Aero enjoys a large market following in South Africa with Aero, Aero Mint, and recently White Aero and Cappuccino Aero.
The Aero bar was made available for a short time in the United States by Nestlé during the 1980s, though it seems not to have been a commercial success. However, they are still available at certain speciality vendors or supermarkets such as Big Y and Wegmans that import the bars. Previously The Hershey Company
sold Aero bars in the United States under licence from Rowntree Chocolate Company from 1937 until 1939. Another place to find them is in the United Kingdom section of the World Showcase at Epcot, Disney World, as well as the international food aisle in Kroger
, Fresh and Easy, Meijer
and some Publix
locations nation-wide.
. The latest slogan as of 2011 is now "Irresistabubble". In 2012 the Aero bar slogan will be changed to "Get your bubble on".
and one of the women instructing the other to wait for the bubbles to melt. They both try it and remark to one another (their mouths still full of the chocolate), "You feel the bubbles?" "I love the bubbles".
More recently an advert featured American actor Jason Lewis in just a towel explaining how chocolate melts at 37 °C (98.6 °F) (body temperature) and that as the bubbles melt it "increases the pleasure...".
A recent commercial from Aero was shot by Ty Evans and Wayne Daly, featuring skateboarder Bob Burnquist; it consisted of skateboarding through a skate park full of balloons. This advert has become very popular due to its entertainment value and its lack of "gender branding". The song used in this advert is Jackson 5's "ABC
" song.
Aero conducted a six week roadshow to promote their Aero Hot Chocolate product. This experiential marketing campaign was exclusive to Asda
stores and included 45 activity days. It proved very successful winning the ISP (Institute of Sales Promotion
) Gold award for Experiential Marketing at Point of Purchase 2009. The key success criteria for this campaign was a product sampling rate in excess of the original forecast of 150k—throughout the six week roadshow; 179,450 samples were taken with a sample to product conversion rate of 64%.
Nestlé
Nestlé S.A. is the world's largest food and nutrition company. Founded and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, Nestlé originated in a 1905 merger of the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company, established in 1867 by brothers George Page and Charles Page, and Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé, founded in 1866 by Henri...
and primarily sold in the United Kingdom (where it originated), the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, Argentina, Australia, Middle East and Canada.
History
The process of manufacture was patented in 1935 by Rowntree'sRowntree's
Rowntree's was a confectionery business based in York, England. It is now a historic brand owned by Nestlé, used to market a range of fruit gums and pastilles formerly owned by Rowntree's. Following a merger with John Mackintosh & Co., the Company became known as Rowntree Mackintosh, was listed on...
.
Registration of the trademark and manufacture to market started soon after.
Flavours and related products
There are several flavours of Aero. These include the Original Aero (which consists of milk chocolate throughout), Mint Aero (with a green, bubbly, mint-flavoured centre, covered in milk chocolate), CaramelCaramel
Caramel is a beige to dark-brown confection made by heating any of a variety of sugars. It is used as a flavoring in puddings and desserts, as a filling in bonbons, and as a topping for ice cream, custard and coffee....
Aero (with a caramel layer on top of the chocolate layer), Dark Chocolate Aero, White Chocolate Aero, Latte flavour Aero and Crispy Aeros (similar to Nestlé Crunch
Nestlé Crunch
Nestlé Crunch is the name of a chocolate bar made of milk chocolate with crisped rice mixed in, produced by Nestlé. Its current slogan is, "For the Kid in You." It was first introduced in 1937....
bars). Orange
Orange (fruit)
An orange—specifically, the sweet orange—is the citrus Citrus × sinensis and its fruit. It is the most commonly grown tree fruit in the world....
Aeros (orange/chocolate layered) were sold for a while as well, and larger 100g sized bars are currently available in some stores. In the 1970s there were also Strawberry
Strawberry
Fragaria is a genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, commonly known as strawberries for their edible fruits. Although it is commonly thought that strawberries get their name from straw being used as a mulch in cultivating the plants, the etymology of the word is uncertain. There...
flavour bars. In the UK, and recently Canada, Aero Bubbles are also available. These are small, round chocolates with a bubbly centre, available in Milk Chocolate and Mint flavours and a mixture of both.
Japan has produced dozens of unique Aero flavours, among them Vanilla Milkshake, Hot Milk, Green Tea and others. They usually consist of a flavoured, coloured chocolate centre and outer milk chocolate layer. Aero Cocoa (plain, Green Tea and Strawberry flavours) is also sold in Japan. Released in 2006, the Aero Vanilla Yoghurt flavour was released only in Canada. As with all other Aero bars manufactured by Nestlé in Canada and Nicaragua, it is manufactured in a peanut-free facility. In Australia there is also an Aero Temptations bar, which has the bubbly chocolate, but with a caramel topping. In Ireland there was an Irish Cream flavour Aero.
In 2010 in the UK, Nestlé modified the ingredients and colouring of the Mint Aero Bubbles product. This resulted in the product retaining its mint flavour, but losing its distinctive green bubble interior. This has been explained by Nestlé as being a response to corporate policy to remove food colourings from the product. There has, however, been no indication that the Mint Aero chocolate bar is to be modified in the same way.
Aero Mint now contains colours derived from a natural source; Copper Complexes of Chlorophyllins and Circumin.
Countries where the Aero bar is sold
As well as the United Kingdom, its place of creation, the bar is also sold as Aero in Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Hong Kong, Nicaragua, the Republic of Ireland, Kuwait, Malta, Mauritius, Portugal, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, New Zealand, Japan, South Africa, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates.In Brazil the bar is known as Suflair. In Hungary it is sold by Nestlé as Boci Aero and in the Netherlands it is sold by Nestlé as Bros (meaning "brittle"). Aero enjoys a large market following in South Africa with Aero, Aero Mint, and recently White Aero and Cappuccino Aero.
The Aero bar was made available for a short time in the United States by Nestlé during the 1980s, though it seems not to have been a commercial success. However, they are still available at certain speciality vendors or supermarkets such as Big Y and Wegmans that import the bars. Previously The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company, known until April 2005 as the Hershey Foods Corporation and commonly called Hershey's, is the largest chocolate manufacturer in North America. Its headquarters are in Hershey, Pennsylvania, which is also home to Hershey's Chocolate World. It was founded by Milton S...
sold Aero bars in the United States under licence from Rowntree Chocolate Company from 1937 until 1939. Another place to find them is in the United Kingdom section of the World Showcase at Epcot, Disney World, as well as the international food aisle in Kroger
Kroger
The Kroger Co. is an American supermarket chain founded by Bernard Kroger in 1883 in Cincinnati, Ohio. It reported US$ 76.7 billion in sales during fiscal year 2009. It is the country's largest grocery store chain and its second-largest grocery retailer by volume and second-place general retailer...
, Fresh and Easy, Meijer
Meijer
Meijer, Inc. is a regional American hypermarket chain based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1934 as a supermarket chain, Meijer is credited with pioneering the modern supercenter concept in 1962. About half of the company's 196 stores are located in Michigan, with additional locations in...
and some Publix
Publix
Publix Super Markets, Inc. is an American supermarket chain based in Lakeland, Florida.Founded in 1930 by George W. Jenkins, it is an employee-owned, privately held corporation. Publix is currently ranked No. 86 on Fortune magazine's list of 100 Best Companies to Work For 2010 and was ranked No...
locations nation-wide.
Manufacture
Aero bars are manufactured in nut-free services. They are made in a number of discrete stages beginning with deposition of unaerated shell chocolate into the bar moulds. A frozen cone shaped to fit into the bar is then pushed down to spread the liquid chocolate into the entire mould and set it. The aerated chocolate is then deposited into the centre and the moulds are shaken to distribute the chocolate evenly in the cavity. This is then chilled to set the bubbly chocolate in place before a final backing off deposit is created to give the back. The moulds are then shaken again to get a flat even back. The moulds are specially shaped to ensure that no meniscus is formed on the bottom, which can give the chocolate a scuffed appearance and also cause issues with the machines when they break off and build up. The bars are then chilled again for a longer period. This helps to make the chocolate contract for easier demoulding. The moulds are then tipped over and hammered to demould the bars, which then go to the packaging section.Slogans
The slogan for Aero in Australia during the 1980s was "It's the bubbles of nothing that make it really something." From the 1999 redesign and "singers" advertising campaign Aero's tagline was "Have you felt the bubbles melt?" This slogan was invented by Nick Welch, an advertiser and the father of Florence Welch of the indie band Florence and the MachineFlorence and the Machine
Florence and the Machine is the recording name of English musician Florence Welch and a collaboration of other artists who provide music for her voice. Florence and the Machine's sound has been described as a combination of various genres, including rock and soul...
. The latest slogan as of 2011 is now "Irresistabubble". In 2012 the Aero bar slogan will be changed to "Get your bubble on".
Marketing and advertising
One commercial involves two women buying the bar from a convenience storeConvenience store
A convenience store, corner store, corner shop, commonly called a bodega in Spanish-speaking areas of the United States, is a small store or shop in a built up area that stocks a range of everyday items such as groceries, toiletries, alcoholic and soft drinks, and may also offer money order and...
and one of the women instructing the other to wait for the bubbles to melt. They both try it and remark to one another (their mouths still full of the chocolate), "You feel the bubbles?" "I love the bubbles".
More recently an advert featured American actor Jason Lewis in just a towel explaining how chocolate melts at 37 °C (98.6 °F) (body temperature) and that as the bubbles melt it "increases the pleasure...".
A recent commercial from Aero was shot by Ty Evans and Wayne Daly, featuring skateboarder Bob Burnquist; it consisted of skateboarding through a skate park full of balloons. This advert has become very popular due to its entertainment value and its lack of "gender branding". The song used in this advert is Jackson 5's "ABC
ABC (song)
"ABC" is a 1970 number-one hit song by The Jackson 5. "ABC" was written with the same design as "I Want You Back", and was first heard on American Bandstand in February 1970. "ABC" knocked The Beatles song "Let It Be" out of the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1970...
" song.
Aero conducted a six week roadshow to promote their Aero Hot Chocolate product. This experiential marketing campaign was exclusive to Asda
Asda
Asda Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, general merchandise, toys and financial services. It also has a mobile telephone network, , Asda Mobile...
stores and included 45 activity days. It proved very successful winning the ISP (Institute of Sales Promotion
Institute of Sales Promotion
The Institute of Sales Promotion is an organisation in the UK that represents brand owners, agencies and service partners engaged in promotional marketing. Formed in 1933, it was established as the ISP in 1979 and provides professional diplomas and certificates, best-practice guidelines and...
) Gold award for Experiential Marketing at Point of Purchase 2009. The key success criteria for this campaign was a product sampling rate in excess of the original forecast of 150k—throughout the six week roadshow; 179,450 samples were taken with a sample to product conversion rate of 64%.
External links
- Aero to share
- A Brief History Of Aero (letter from Nestlé UK)
- Nestlé Aero Bubbles
- Aero "hunk" advert