Oh, happy days

I am an avowed chocoholic. I can’t go through the day without experiencing the sweet, creamy pull of one (or two, or three) chocolate bar. I rely on the sugar rush to relieve the nausea I experience when I wake up in the morning. (This may be purely psychological; I don’t see any real reason to see a doctor.) My chocolate of choice: rich dark chocolate or Reese’s peanut butter cups. When I run out of them, any chocolate will do: milk, white, with nuts, drizzled with caramel, chock-filled with cookie bits, candy-coated, malted, bite-sized or in generous portions.

I eat chocolate for breakfast, in-between lunch and dinner, and as a midnight snack. It’s my personal sugar-laced stress ball, a yummier anti-depressant. I eat chocolate when I’m bonding with my girlfriends and, along with my boyfriend, use it as an excuse (a very ambiguous one at that) to reward us for a rigorous workout session.

Chocolate is classic comfort food, an instant mood lifter. Science attributes the positive vibe to a release of endorphins, although most chocolate lovers don’t even obsess about the clinical explanation behind its lure. There is an entire population of chocoholics all over the world with an array of reasons why they can’t live without the comfort chocolate brings. Some recall their fondest memories when on a chocolate binge. Some nibble on chocolate to keep them company when alone, while others break it into pieces and share it with friends. Most eat it for sheer pleasure, but the underlying sentiment is overwhelmingly the same. Hershey’s, one of the world’s crowned chocolate royalties, explains it simply: "Chocolate makes people happy."

Hershey’s, the company that made us love the cocoa confection and probably gave us the first chocolate we ever tasted, is building on the joy a single bite of Hershey’s chocolate brings. "Hershey’s milk chocolate has evolved from an American classic into a universal expression of bliss. People have a very deep, personal relationship with Hershey’s chocolate," says Hershey’s Philippines Inc. group product manager Erick E. Ampil. The new "Hershey’s Happiness" campaign celebrates this "deep-seated love affair with chocolate" and shows how this treat signifies different things to different people. As the 15-seconder TV spots articulate, Hershey’s is "like a warm hug from someone you haven’t seen in a long time," or for a man on the prowl, "a great way to meet women."

Not only is Hershey’s in the business of bringing happiness, it also wants to capture the delight it brings on photographs. Say "Hershey’s" with your favorite Hershey’s chocolate – be it Hershey’s Kisses, Whoppers malted milk balls, Hershey’s Nuggets, the velvety Symphony bar, or the Hershey’s S’mores candy bar – and show how these sweet treats bring cheer into your life in the Hershey’s Happiness Photo Contest.

Simply express how Hershey’s makes you happy in a photo and submit your entry with your name, address, age, telephone number and gender at designated LBC and Digiprint drop boxes. You can also send a soft copy of your photo through MMS; text HERSHEYS SUBMIT to 2256, or via e-mail at photocontest@hersheyshappiness.com.ph. Hershey’s Happiness booths are also located at selected major malls around the country where you can have your picture taken for free with a purchase of Hershey’s Milk Chocolate.

Photos will be judged on how they express happiness through Hershey’s, its emotional impact, creativity, and overall composition. There will be four bi-weekly contests, with four winners in each contest from GMA, Luzon province, Visayas and Mindanao. These lucky photo senders can choose their own Hershey’s happiness prize from the following packages: an ultra-indulgent chocolate buffet treat; a shopping spree at Fully Booked bookstore, Toby’s sports store, Abenson’s appliance store, or their favorite fashion store; a donation to their favorite charity; or Cebu Pacific tour packages to the country’s most happening vacation hotspots. You may send multiple entries, but may win only once in the bi-weekly draws. Non-winning entries are eligible for succeeding draws.

The public also gets to choose the best expression of Hershey’s Happiness. The photo hailed by text votes as the "People’s Choice" wins a Funtastic Hong Kong Disneyland package courtesy of Cebu Pacific. The grand prize winner gets the plum prize: a Hershey’s Happiness package of his choice worth P100,000. The latest date for submission of photo entries is on Oct. 23.

Qualified entries for the People’s Choice Award will be published in newspapers, magazines, shown in selected TV shows, and displayed at the mall tours and the website www.hersheyshappiness.com.ph. The public can vote their choice by texting HERSHEYS VOTE to 2256. Each vote can be an entry for a chance to win one of five digital cameras.

With Hershey’s chocolate, everyday should be a happy day. Share the love. There’s much of it – and chocolate – to go around.