Tony’s Chocolonely Launches First Ever TV Ad Starring an Anti-Exploitation Wrestler

​Ethical chocolate brand Tony’s Chocolonely has launched its first ever global television commercial featuring a bold wrestler who fights exploitation while dressed in the brand’s signature red and blue colours.

Created by independent agency, House of Oddities, with production from Common People Studios, the work comes after the brand won £500k worth of funding from Sky’s Zero Footprint Fund which supports brands prioritising sustainability.

Directed by Mary-Sue Masson, the 30-second spot, titled ‘There’s Fight in Every Bite’, which will launch across Sky channels at 9pm tonight and will roll out across paid earned and experiential channels this coming week, shows two women casually sharing a bar of Tony’s signature milk chocolate as two wrestlers named Tony and X-Ploitation battle it out in the living room.

The work will run nationally until April 6th with TV to continue to play a central role.

“We’d already been working with Tony’s for a year, and they consistently embraced bold ideas that pushed them beyond their comfort zone. So when they asked us to support their bid for the Sky Zero Footprint Fund – and get on TV for the first time – it was a no-brainer,” House of Oddities chief executive officer Sachini Imbuldeniya told LBB.

“Since creating the ad, I’ve personally become a little obsessed with Tony the Wrestler. He’s the ultimate good guy – the perfect counterpoint to our villain, X-Ploitation. With his vibrant costume, wild hair and kick-ass shiny boots, he embodies everything bold, quirky and playful about the Tony’s brand,” she continued.

The X-Ploitation wrestler acts as a physical representation of the industry’s issues with child labour and exploitation, whilst the Tony character embodies the brand’s stance against abuse in the cocoa industry. 

“There’s so much fun to be had with a character like Tony. And (spoiler alert) you’ll be seeing a lot more of him over the next few months. I’m quietly hoping he sticks around for the long term – and not just because he looks great in lycra,” Sachini told LBB. 

“In many ways, House of Oddities and Tony’s are cut from the same cloth. We’re both small, scrappy challengers in a world dominated by big corporations. We’re a bit weird, a bit uneven, and unapologetically happy doing things differently. But most importantly, we’re both driven by a mission to make a positive impact on the world,” continued Sachini.

Tony’s Chocolonely UK and Ireland head of marketing Nicola Matthews added: “The wrestling concept is a powerful, unexpected, and entertaining way to bring the issue of exploitation in the cocoa industry to life. We worked with System1 to test and optimise the creative and hope it will resonate with both existing fans and new audiences.”