Internet campaign encourages a Cadbury re-launch

The company will be re-launching 23m Wispa bars this October, due to campaigns to bring the chocolate bar back on sites such as Facebook and Myspace.

Cadbury's u-turn demonstrates the influence of social networking sites and the internet on industry, as well as how 'nostalgia' can affect consumer tastes.

"We have noticed the web interest for some time and the consumer passion has undeniably swayed our opinion to re-launch Wispa," Cadbury spokesperson Tony Bilsborough said.

"This is the first time that the power of the internet played such an intrinsic role in the return of a Cadbury brand."

The chocolate bar was taken off the shelves in 2003 after two decades following declining sales, and was re-launched as Cadbury Bubbles.

However, the company has now admitted to succumbing to consumer pressures, and will re-launch the product under the original "Whispa" name.

The company hopes that the chocolate bar will be popular due to the "nostalgia" consumers feel for a product they bought during their childhood.

"We have a great affection for the treats of our youth.

Knowing that a much-loved brand from our past will be making a comeback is bound to titillate the memory buds," said brand historian Robery Opie.

"With Wispa's success in the '80s, the nation has created a renewed and distinct demand that can only be satisfied by its re-launch."

Facebook groups dedicated to the cause have nearly 14,000 members, all demanding a comeback, who cite the popularity of the chocolate bar during the eighties.

Other networking sites report similar activity.

The company claims the chocolate bar will be available for a limited time from early October.