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When eaten in moderation, ice cream can boost serotonin and energy levels while providing a decent dose of protein, hydration and calcium.
Noticeably absent on the effects list is existential dread and abject terror, unless, of course, the dish served up included some classic advertising in the category from Halo Top and Little Baby’s.
The two brands are among a handful of marketers that have taken a decidedly unconventional approach to promoting the all-American favorite sweet treat—a wholesome staple of street fairs, birthday parties and kid-friendly outings since time immemorial.
Rebel Creamery, Magnum, Oatly and Cold Case have followed an offbeat playbook similar to Halo Top and Little Baby’s, melting the edges ever so slightly with their own style of twisted humor. And while the commercials are safe for work, none is really meant for children, and there’s a good reason for that.
Such work often comes from premium brands touting smaller servings versus family-size tubs, “which means hyper-indulgence, weird flavors, eating directly from the container,” according to Kelly Schoeffel, a former 72andSunny strategist who worked for about eight years on the Tillamook business. “It’s fundamentally adult and hedonistic—it’s targeting us, and we’re in on the joke.”
A frosty vice
Ice cream is “a safe space—a rare emotional thru-line between childhood and adulthood,” said Schoeffel, former chief marketing officer of Meow Wolf and an ADWEEK Creative 100 honoree. “It can accommodate a broad range of humor, even dark humor.”
In general, consumer packaged goods marketers tend to take themselves “way too seriously these days,” said Jonathan Schoenberg, executive creative director at TDA Boulder, the agency behind Rebel Creamery’s recent harshly hilarious “Don’t Sugarcoat It” campaign.
There’s a different tenor historically around some product segments like ice cream, chocolate, beer and spirits, “knowing that they are a bit of a vice and having some fun and being naughty and capturing consumers accordingly,” Schoenberg said.
In honor of National Ice Cream Month and the dog days of summer—and continuing to highlight the resurgent comedy trend in the industry—ADWEEK has made a seven-layer sundae out of notably quirky past and present ice cream campaigns. Some have been more successful than others (RIP Little Baby’s), but all have undeniable entertainment value. Grab a spoon and dig in, readers.