Once upon a time, a Mars a day helped you work rest and play. In the run up to the World Cup in 2006, however, the brand took on a nobler mission - to make the nation Believe. The JCPR Mars Believe campaign effectively aligned Masterfoods' iconic snack with the national sense of optimism and frenzied anticipation that builds up and surrounds the world's biggest sporting tournament. In so doing, the campaign succeeded in deftly taking possession of hearts and minds across the country. In many ways, the greatest impact of Mars Believe was not in its link with dreams of victory, but in the sheer shock value of Mars changing its name. The red-and-gold logo is ingrained deep in the nation's psyche, and replacing those familiar letters with the word 'Believe' could not fail to attract attention. Believe is by far the most significant packaging change since the venerable chocolate bar's 1932 launch; it also represented Mars' biggest brand initiative since its relaunch in 2002. This bold move, combined with JCPR's purpose-built PR strategy, not only captured the feel-good factor surrounding the World Cup, but also struck a chord with the whole nation by capturing a moment in time. The introduction of the Believe wrapper was supported by a £3.7 million marketing offensive that was used to build excitement and nurture a Believe craze among both Mars lovers and football fans. While re-branding the wrapper certainly grabbed attention, it was not enough in itself to persuade consumers to buy into the concept - unless, of course, there was a credible story underpinning it all to really engage their interest. JCPR therefore arranged an entertaining story-board through a series of creative PR escapades to show the brand to best effect. Perhaps the most bizarre and effective of these involved harnessing the renowned psychic powers of Uri Geller to connect the Believe bar with the collective power of positive thinking. Attended by the world's media and football fans, this event was a true world-first, with the aim of synchronising positivity and channelling the nation's faith in the England squad. Through a series of demonstrations culminating in the energising of 100 Believe bars, the event generated positive widespread media coverage, but that wasn't all. It was surely no coincidence that news of Wayne Rooney's healed foot followed thereafter. A Mars-branded 'Believe-mobile' was used to spread awareness and gather support - at a personal level, but on a national scale. Several England football legends, including Peter Beardsley, Les Ferdinand and Matt Le Tissier, jumped aboard the Believe-mobile to show their support, ensuring coverage as it journeyed through the UK and on to Germany. The visionary character of Bill Lever was also created for the campaign; starring in 10 and 40 second TV ads, Lever was the Pied Piper and Everyman of England fans - a football obsessive and sworn believer in the power of collective belief. He made for an entertaining and empathetic spokesman for the brand, enlisting the sympathies and rallying the support of the most devoted England fans. By adopting the language of real footfall fans, and fuelling word of mouth among the nation, JCPR not only succeeded in generating over 260 pieces of national and regional media coverage, but also, crucially, tapping into the nation's psyche. Soon, everyone was talking about Mars Believe. JCPR's campaign created a hugely visible and interactive brand experience which represented an AVE of £3 million in just over two months and planted the seed of positive awareness in an audience of over 250 million. A healthy victory for Mars, as the brand enjoyed a 50 per cent rise in sales during the World Cup months. Not only that, the campaign had made Mars famous again. Thankfully, the success of the Mars Believe campaign did not hinge on England actually winning, but on timing the campaign to mirror the growing anticipation of a possible win. By its nature, it could legitimately link itself with the upcoming event without being bound by its limitations; by the time the World Cup actually kicked off, Believe was already lodged in its targets' minds, and had become the perfect lucky charm to take the edge off the tension of an upcoming game. Jacqui Thomas, Brand Manager at Mars, said: "JCPR displayed a complete understanding of the brand and media landscape we needed to operate in for this campaign. From media management, to controlling the message and driving positive brand news about all aspects of the campaign from the TV ad to the UK tour, they did the job with energy, passion and professionalism. The publicity results speak for themselves - Mars Believe has generated phenomenal results and really set a gold standard for all Masterfoods campaigns." The familiar Mars packaging has now returned, but the campaign's effects live on. For chocolate lovers and football fans alike, the positive power of the campaign has restored their faith in the brand. It has also given them a new reason to Believe in Mars.