Market
VMLY&R COMMERCE US & Mexico
Challenge
Local ice cream brand Elena's is known for its quality natural flavors and ingredients. With increased comfort food consumption during Covid, the brand was coming off a high year. However, it was plateauing and needed a way to lift sales and purchase across the whole flavor portfolio.
Idea
While Elena's had big goals for driving new portfolio sales, they didn't have the same budget as the big players to put behind large sampling programs. Instead we leaned into the natural behaviors of ice cream buyers to devise a sampling idea so well-disguised, that it could go viral on its own without a big media blitz.
We disguised in-store sampling as football therapy. Helping Mexican fans deal with the most severe kind of heartbreak in Latin America – football heartbreak – by designing Elena's 5-flavor ice cream split into the five stages of grief. Soothing vanilla for denial, calming matcha for anger, uplifting chocolate for sadness, anti-inflammatory red berries for acceptance, and phytoestrogen-rich mango for a dash of hope.
Growth
- +230% brand awareness
- +36% total sales increase
- +420% social media mentions
Recognition
- Cannes Lions, Shortlist (Entertainment Lions for Sports / Fan Engagement)
- Cannes Lions, Shortlist (Creative Commerce / Food & Drink)
- D&AD, Bronze (Media/Retail)
- Clios, Shortlist (Digital/Mobile)
- One Show, Shortlist (Branded Entertainment/Innovation in Branded Entertainment)
- One Show, Shortlist (Creative Use of Data Storytelling)
- One Show, Shortlist (Experiential & Immersive Customer Experience/CX - In-person)
- One Show, Shortlist (Interactive, Online & Mobile Physical Product & Mobile Integration)
- One Show, Shortlist (IP & Products/Integrated Digital & Physical Product - Promotional)
- PHNX Awards, Bronze (STRATEGY & TECHNIQUE: Brand activation)
