Unilever launches £13m Magnum campaign to celebrate 25th anniversary

Unilever is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its flagship Magnum ice-cream brand with a packaging refresh and £13m marketing campaign to reinforce its premium credentials.

Video: Magnum “Celebrating 25 years of pleasure” TV advert

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixRO8srB_5c?list=UUSXT7mIrOTns6G5FhiYoZ6g

The plan is Unilever’s biggest for the brand in terms of media spend, spanning TV, outdoor, digital and PR. Activity is being rolled throughout April and introduces the strapline “Celebrating 25 years of pleasure” alongside Magnum’s updated, gold-framed packaging.

The packaging revamp is long-term with Unilever adding it wants to bolster the “indulgence” and premium qualities consumers associate with the ice cream. A TV ad (see above) attempts to showcase both themes, featuring a woman chasing a golden Magnum emblazoned balloon down the streets of Paris. The ad develops to follow hundreds of balloons as they float through the city.

Magnum is also working with celebrity designer Henry Holland, who has designed a 60s-inspired party dress. Some 25 copies of the garment, worth £5,000 each, have been made and will be awarded to those contestants who crack the #MagnumDressCode online competition throughout the summer.

Nicola Rolfe, brand manager for Magnum, says the move aims to build on the £147m value sales it generated in 2013 in the UK.

Separately, Unilever is preparing to launch what it is likely to be the last campaign for its Peperami brand before concluding its sale to Jack Link’s. The £3m campaign launches next week (14 April) to celebrate the 21st anniversary of the brand’s “Animal” mascot and “It’s a Bit of An Animal” slogan.

Peperami’s first TV spot (see below) in three years leads the campaign and will also resume its tie-up with shoe maker Doc Martens – the “Animal” character’s signature footwear of choice. The ad shows the brand mascot watching a news report about vegetables being wasted. This triggers a stereotypical ‘Animal’ reaction, which results in the character reveling in his own comparative tastiness, shouting ‘I always get my five a day’ before biting off his five fingers.


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Despite the pending change in ownership, there is a strategy in place for Peperami in 2015 that will see it front a nationwide search for new comedy talent to star in future campaigns. The move looks to build on the efforts of previous comedy tie-ups with stars such as Lenny Henry, Hugh Laurie and Steve Coogan.

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