THE PEOPLE behind Maltesers, allegedly “the lighter way to enjoy chocolate”, have hit upon the cheaper way to produce a new television advertising campaign. They have put together a “greatest hits” compilation of old Maltesers television advertisements.

The nostalgic montage, in aid of the Mars-owned brand’s 75th anniversary, reveals an remarkably consistent approach over the decades to the marketing of the malt honeycomb sweet as the kind of playful, whimsical, bite-sized item that you might just accidentally happen to ingest while hanging out with your female friends, possibly without even noticing.

Right from their first foray into the confectionery market in 1937, Maltesers were aimed at weight-conscious women – a corseted trapeze artist swinging through the air is one of the older, black-and-white clips to feature in the 30-second anniversary spot.

The inspired commercial heritage-plundering is also notable for offering glimpses of a number of former Maltesers campaign stars who have since gone on to bigger and better acting assignments, including The IT Crowd’s Katherine Parkinson and Scott Bailey (and former Coronation Street) actress Suranne Jones.