Cadbury's Wildlife Bar - Project Book Offer (1986)

One of my most treasured memories of being a very young child in the mid-1980s is the treat of receiving a Cadbury's Wildlife Bar. To this day, I'm unable to fully express, in words, the pleasure that Cadbury's chocolate delivers. Does it taste different now to 40 years ago? I have no idea, and no one really does unless they have a time machine. Anyway, if one chocolate bar from the 1980s stands out to me, it's the Cadbury's Wildlife Bar. Aside from the world-beating taste, there was also the beautiful wildlife illustrations which adorned the wrappers.

The decades may have gone by, but the Wildlife Bar remained firmly lodged in my memory. Eventually, during the pandemic, in a particularly sentimental moment, I decided to revisit a lovely haunt of simpler times. Heading to Ebay, the eternal gatekeeper of curious relics from the past, I found several listings and, far from being exorbitantly priced, they were very affordable. Not only did I receive the five wrappers featured above, but also a multipack wrapper. I believe the cost was six or seven quid - a bargain if ever there was one.

As ever, to most people, this type of outlay would border on the need for clinical assessment and strong medication. So why would I revisit the past in such an outlandish manner? Well, you see, many online ephemeral 'experts' seem satisfied relying purely on hazy memories and whatever pixelated photos they can find online, but I've always needed more. I need to hold these items in my hands, experience that technicolor Proustian rush and truly relive the moment. Okay, the chocolate isn't present, but even if it was it would be a hideous sight after 40 years fermenting in a draw in Hull.

The wrappers, though, are an absolute delight. Featuring a range of tropical animals, we're treated to the pleasures of a leopard, elephant, parrot, female antelope and panda. Highly detailed, these are a far cry from the plain, simplistic wrappers of modern chocolate. Sure, shell out for an artisan bar of chocolate and you'll be exposed to a world of graphic wonder, but a budget bar of chocolate? No chance. These wrappers, likely hailing from the end of 1985 or start of 86, also contain tokens for an exclusive Cadbury's Wildlife Project Book. Collect 10 tokens, supply an 18 pence postage stamp and Cadbury's would send you a small booklet full of conservation-based activities, games and information.

So there we have it, a small slice of chocolate brought back from the past and exposed to modern eyes. There were several other illustrated designs available in the first few years of the Wildlife Bar launching and, fortunately, I also have some of these to showcase in a future article. Eventually, the illustrations were replaced with wildlife photos which, although, admirable packaging efforts, don't have the same charm of the original illustrated ones. But will I be tracking some of these down as well? Of course!