Smash (instant mashed potato)
Smash is a brand of instant mashed potato in the United Kingdom.
It was launched in the UK in the 1960s by Cadbury, who were primarily a manufacturer of confectionery at the time. Smash was reasonably successful. However, it was not until 1974 that Smash became popular in the convenience food market after Cadbury launched an advertising campaign by agency Boase Massimi Pollitt featuring the Smash Martians, who would watch humans preparing mashed potato the traditional way on television instead of using potato granules, and laugh at them.[1][2] The 1970s adverts and their 'For Mash Get Smash' catchphrase were voted TV ad of the century by Campaign Magazine, and 2nd best television advert of all time in a 2000 poll conducted by The Sunday Times and Channel 4, beaten by Guinness' Surfer advertisement from 1999.
The brand has since been sold by Cadbury and is now owned by Premier Foods who, using their Batchelors brand, launched a 'healthier recipe' version in 2006.[3] Smash continues to be popular in the UK, selling 140 million servings a year. The texture of Smash is not identical to that of real mashed potato, being somewhat smoother. In recent years, flavoured varieties of Smash have also been made available, including Cheddar & Onion and Buttery.
Accolades
The original 1970s advertisements have been featured in several "best ever television advertisements" lists.
| Creator | Country | Accolade | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Channel 4/The Sunday Times | United Kingdom | The 100 Greatest TV Adverts | 2000 | 2 | [4] |
| ITV | United Kingdom | ITV's Best Ever Ads (top 20 list) | 2005 | 1 | [5] |
References
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