Cadbury's Purple Reign: The Story Behind Chocolate's Best-Loved Brand

by John Bradley

A unique expose of the Cadbury story, providing an unprecedented insight into the makings of an iconic brand. Cadbury's Puple Reign for the first time tells the in-depth story and definitive history of the Cadbury brand, and how it came to be the world's pre-eminent chocolate brand. It presents a no holds barred account of the rollercoaster ride the organization has experienced that has, ultimately, led to its success. It is a story of endurance, where, in the UK, Cadbury is a clear market leader. This fascinating journey that has been the history of Cadbury makes it an ideal example with which to illuminate the story of consumerism.  The company was established even before there were a mass of consumers to sell to, and was at the forefront of many of the developments which facilitated the rise of mass markets: Illustrated with fact, anecdote and beautiful images from previously archived material, this book provides the reader with an unprecedented insight into one of the world’s most iconic brands. These insights will help any consumer business that aspire to build longevity for their brand with lessons on how to better endear itself to consumers, and how to turn that relationship into profitable sales. The book has the full backing from Cadbury and chairman Sir John Sunderland provides the foreword.

Genres: History

352 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I normally shy away from books about companies, as they have a tendency to be poorly written and self-congratulatory in tone. However, Purple Reign is a fascinating book, very well written, and the pro-company angle is not so strong that it turns you off reading. For someone interested in learning about how a business can sustain and re-invent itself over more than 100 years, this book is a must. It is a tale of initial invention followed by product refinement, the power of marketing and brand building and, finally, of how to survive in an increasingly competitive world. The sections on how Cadbury's survived the two World Wars and various depressions are particularly good, as are stories of taking over other businesses who have fallen by the wayside. A really good read.

[Rachael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as in depth as the Coca Cola history book, but still interesting. Main problems are that it can't decide whether it's an extended business studies case study, a press release, or just a pleasing history. (At the end we figure out the author spent 24 years up there as a company boy, so it all makes sense). Worse, images are plonked in the middle of pages with text wrapped around it, which makes it v. frustrating to read.

[Wade McIntyre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delicious read on a chocolate brand that I love and grew up with.

[Sangita · Rating 2 out of 5]

Felt very biased. Wasn't written in chronological order, so at points I was lost as to what happened when. Maybe interesting from a business perspective, but I wouldn't recommend it for most people

[Maryann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting.

[Tara Brabazon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a lush book. The pages are thick and glossy, like the history of Cadbury chocolate they are describing.

While this book is a relatively conventional history of Cadbury, what makes it distinctive and useful for food marketing is the demonstration of how a brand develops. The careful and risky transformations in both the business model and branding of Cadbury are well revealed in this book.

I should also note that it is very well illustrated. For teachers, there are an array of visual materials that can be deployed in the book.

[Himanshu Gupta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an insight into one of the most iconic brands on the planet. Not only it gives a branding perspective but also the operations and the overall strategic view. A bit verbose at some points but that is compensated with the pictures of old advertisements and products.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very stiff British account of the history of my favorite Chocolate company. Beautiful book with high-quality paper and lovely images. Rather dry, but that added to its charm.

[Andrew Loch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somewhat dry but interesting history of Cadbury and its domination of the world..well commonwealth, chocolate market.

Made me hungry.

[Sudeep · Rating 4 out of 5]

gives you a sneak peek in the world of cadbury.

[Duncan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great visually. Nice cantor through the Cadbury story from a marketing angle. Worth the read for chocolate lovers