Ryan Partnership was charged with getting consumers talking and sharing news about Magnum Ice Cream virally, getting shoppers buying in stores and continuing the conversation about Magnum digitally, and helping the brand stand out from the competition through fun and a youthful edge to a category that skews somewhat toward older, adult soccer moms seeking relaxation.
A popular brand overseas, particularly in Europe, Unilever studied its target consumer's lifestyle – wealthy, American 28-year-old females – and tapped into shopper traits such as women who want "sensuous experiences" and women who "seek pleasure." These women are motivated by accessibility and exclusivity, and react excitedly to sexy, stylish, sophisticated and fun experiences. Magnum sought fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld and style-icon Rachel Bilson to create three short films. Bilson played roles as an artist, dancer and model, swept up by the sexy lifestyle while unsatisfied until she has a Magnum.
The films debuted at the Tribeca Film Fest and could be watched at MagnumIceCream.com. Their humor carried over to a web game that enabled users to control a female character chasing after chocolate bon bons. High scores could be shared on Facebook.
A multimedia campaign, called "Pleasure Personified," led consumers to the website. Digital elements included rich-media banners on Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr; blog mentions; emails; Apple iAds and iPad ads; mobile; and 14 homepage takeovers. The digital program helped Magnum go viral and complemented its retail presence.
Within 12 weeks of launch, Magnum climbed to the No. 1 super-premium frozen novelty brand spot. In Walmart stores, Magnum is outselling the competition by 10 times. At launch in April, the viral content of the campaign ranked fourth on the Ad Age ranking. The brand has generated more than 2 billion PR impressions from the custom content and promotions, while digital interaction and video completion rates have far exceeded average benchmarks.
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