More than 1,000 consumers visited McVitie’s London Cuddle Café in one day, during the brand’s promotion of its continued Sweeet campaign.

Upon completing research that almost 75% of Brits would like more cuddles in their lives, McVitie’s owner United Biscuits (UB) decided to spread the love with its Cuddle Café on Tottenham Street, which featured the Sweeet animal friend characters from its TV advertisements.

In the second wave of its Sweeet campaign, it is giving away 3.5 million cuddly toys in on-pack promotions in a £3m investment, and the four characters – the Chocolate Digestives kitten, the Digestives puppy, the BN owl and the Jaffa Cakes tarsier – are all over the store. pen for one day only, the Cuddle Cafe attracted 1,035 visitors who popped along for a cup of tea and a hug from the oversized McVitie’s BN owl that hooted when hugged, for a free cup of tea.

The value of a cuddle

Elements of the Cuddle Café were crafted with the help of Dr Stuart Farrimond, who has done research into the emotional and health benefits of a cuddle.

He said: “My research not only discovered that cuddling a soft toy triggers a similar emotional response and health benefit to hugging a person, but also that the act of drinking a hot beverage can stimulate similar warm, positive feelings. So what better combination that a cuppa and a cuddle?”

Sarah Heynen, McVitie’s marketing director, added: “At McVitie’s we truly know the importance of a cuddle, and what better way to put a smile on people’s faces and beat the winter blues than with a Cuddle Café?

"People are so busy these days, and lead such stressful lives, that we want to offer all of our visitors their very own form of ‘cuddle therapy’ coupled with a cup of tea, cakes, biscuits – and all for the price of a hug.”