Bake Off Mania – What’s The Big Fuss?

Unless you’ve been on an island devoid of social interaction and social media for the past week, you’ll be aware that the Great British Bake Off is back on our screens for another 10 weeks of delectable bakes and inevitable cooking disasters.

The BAFTA-award-winning BBC show, putting twelve amateur bakers through a series of signature, technical and showstopper challenges in pursuit of the illustrious title of Britain’s Best Baker, received an impressive 10.4 million viewers tuning in for the first episode.

The show’s escalating popularity has left many asking the question “what is its secret?”
One of the things that I love about the show is its relatability factor, giving stardom to ordinary people and let’s face it we’ve all experienced the sheer frustration of a cake that just won’t rise. The uncomplicated format can also be put forward as a factor, proving that it’s the simplest concepts that often have the most power to inspire and go viral.

Many brands are looking to capitalise on the hype through a variety of initiatives such as social media competitions, engagement with #GBBO conversation and numerous partnerships with cooking celebrities and influencers. Prime examples are Tesco’s weekly #BakeOn challenges and the BBC’s own witty Twitter GIFs, resulting in hundreds of retweets per post.

Bake Off has also been credited for the sharp rise in sales of baking ingredients and accessories, but it’s not just cooking related products that are feeling the benefits. It was recently in the news that shows like Gardening World are undergoing a complete rebranding in an attempt to emulate the success. Could gardening be the next big thing? Only time will tell…

Meanwhile I’m looking forward to many more cake-filled Wednesday evenings and seeing who will be champion in our very own office sweepstake.

By Rachel Sewell