Ben & Jerry’s launches ‘biggest’ media campaign
Ben & Jerry’s is looking to pull health conscious consumers into the ice-cream category with an £8m marketing campaign to promote its biggest launch of 2014 – Greek Style Frozen Yoghurt.
Video: Ben & Jerry’s Greek Style yoghurt TV advert
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The Unilever-owned brand is unveiling three flavours – strawberry shortcake, vanilla honey caramel and raspberry chocalatey chunk – to introduce what it claims is the first widely available Greek Style frozen yoghurt across the UK.
The ice cream maker is hoping to steal a march on rivals in dominating a frozen yoghurt market that saw sales grow by 15 per cent in the year to December 2013, according to IRI.
Consumers can purchase 500ml tubs of the frozen yoghurts for £4.99 with Ben & Jerry’s positioning the product as a premium, healthier alternative. A TV campaign (see above) launches today (7 April) to carry the theme, charting how an empty tub comes to life to create an alpine scene with the help of a mini Greek God. The quirky nature of the advert will be extended through social media promotions alongside a “Free Cone Day” offering consumers samples at all Odeon and Empire cinemas across the UK.
The media strategy bares similarities to the product’s launch in the US in 2012 when it benefitted from the increasing popularity of Greek yoghurt in the dairy aisle. Nearly half (40 per cent) of buyers over the last two years were new to Ben & Jerry’s and the luxury ice cream category, Unilever says.
Alessandra Salvo, Ben & Jerry’s brand manager, adds: “By generating talkability around the innovative new range, we hope to drive value into the luxury sector, increasing frequency of purchase with current Ben & Jerry’s shoppers as well as attracting new, more health conscious consumers to the frozen aisle who are looking for great taste.”
The investment mirrors a trend from the yoghurt category that has seen Muller and Danone look to satisfy growing demand for the thicker, creamier version of regular yoghurt over the last 7 years. Muller is currently supporting its Muller Light Greek Style activity.