<P> Public perception of the Cadbury brand had slipped through 2006 - 7 after a series of public relations blunders and product recalls . In mid-2006, a number of Cadbury lines were found to contain salmonella bacteria, originating from a leaking pipe at the company's factory in Marlbrook . The incident was widely reported in the media, and had a number of knock - on effects: 40 people became ill, and a product recall costing £ 20 million was initiated . The failure of Cadbury to inform the Food Standards Agency for five months after the problem was discovered resulted in a £ 1 million fine from Birmingham's Crown Court, and the Food Standards Agency advised the company to improve their "out of date" contamination testing procedures . </P> <P> Other public relations blunders in the run - up to the campaign included the distribution of a number of Easter eggs containing traces of nuts without nut allergy warnings, a £ 5 million campaign for Trident chewing gum which was cancelled after complaints that it was offensive, and the temporary closure of Granary Burying Ground, a historic cemetery near Boston, United States, as a result of a treasure hunt organised as a sales promotion . In mid-2007, Cadbury announced that it would be cutting around 7,500 jobs . An internal memo which later leaked revealed that many of the jobs would be moved to Poland, causing an outcry from the manufacturers' trade unions . </P> <P> It was hoped that the new campaign would serve to boost sales within the UK and prompt higher brand engagement from the public . Much effort was put into making the first advertisement of the new marketing strategy a hit . The creative idea was "founded upon the notion that all communications should be as effortlessly enjoyable as eating the bar itself ." Argentine - born Fallon creative director Juan Cabral, who had created the immensely successful Balls and Paint spots for Sony's BRAVIA line of high - definition television sets, wrote and directed the piece, acting as creative director, art director, copywriter and director . It marked his directorial debut . Other people involved in the campaign at Fallon included senior planner Tamsin Davies, account executive Chris Willingham, executive creative director Richard Flintham, and agency producer Nicky Barnes . Matthew Fone was the production company producer . Actor Garon Michael was hired to fill the central role for his previous work in similar roles, having played great apes in the feature films Congo, Instinct and the 2001 remake of Planet of the Apes . </P> <P> It took three months to produce, though pieces had been used in a large number of other projects prior to Gorilla . The "fur" of the suit is composed of knotted yak hairs . The exposed facial features are silicone, and are moved animatronically, through 27 remote - controlled motors and several levers . Two technicians were needed, in addition to the actor inside the suit, to produce the range of motions displayed in the commercial . The suit was cooled by ice - water tubing and a handheld fan pointed at the mouth between takes . While much of the suit had existed prior to the project, several adaptations were made, including custom - made hands for the drum sequence, foam muscle around the chest and shoulders, a new styling for the pelt, and the addition of a gold tooth, grey hairs, and a studio earpiece to give a more "wizened rock star" appearance . </P>

Who played the gorilla in the cadbury advert