Chocolatier Lindt Canada has brought its Easter-time chocolate Gold Bunny to mobile life with the launch of a free illustrated storybook app for children.
Titled “The Bell That Rang in Easter,” the interactive app was developed by Grip and written by Canadian children’s author Ashley Spires.
It tells the story of a friendship between a girl named Emma and a bunny named Theo and mirrors the tale of the Gold Bunny’s creation. According to Lindt, the bunny was created in 1952 by a chocolatier who wanted to capture the love his child felt for a bunny who visited their backyard one spring day.
“We wanted to create a story that would capture the true joy of Easter in an interactive way, giving children and their loved ones the opportunity to sit down together to talk about the values of giving, love and friendship — what this holiday is all about,” says Kairen Wu, senior marketing director at Lindt Canada.
The app can be downloaded at GoldBunnyStory.com. Lindt will donate $1 to The Children’s Aid Foundation for every app downloaded, to a maximum donation of $50,000.
More than 3 million Gold Bunnies were sold in Canada last year. The bunnies are wrapped in gold foil and sport golden bells and coloured ribbon around their necks that identify the type of chocolate.
Felicity PR was hired by Lindt to drive app downloads.
The communications program includes live readings by Spires on March 17 at the Lindt store at The Shops at Don Mills in Toronto and March 18 at Square One Shopping Mall in Mississauga, Ont.
There is also a 1,400 sq. ft. pop-up display until March 26 at Square One Shopping Mall in Mississauga, Ont. that includes life-sized scenes from the digital book.
Activities at the pop-up installation include colouring for kids, photo opportunities with the Lindt Gold Bunny and a ribbon personalization with the purchase of a 200g Lindt Gold Bunny.
Shoppers who show proof of the app download on their smartphone at the events will receive discount offers for the Gold Bunny.
Felicity is also doing media relations and blogger partnerships. The blogger partnerships consist of a combination of paid and contra remuneration in exchange for content and contests, says Felicity president Amy Laski.
More than 130 events will be held across Canada at Lindt Boutiques and other retailers, including Shoppers Drug Mart, Jean Coutu, Hudson’s Bay and Sears. The events include chocolate prizes, colouring sheets and personalized red ribbons with the purchase of a 100g Lindt Gold Bunny.
