Freezing Out Competitors: Innovative Occasion-Based Marketing

Ice Cream in Winter – How Occasion-Based Marketing Can Lick the Competition

As a marketing strategist in the food and beverage industry, I’ve always been fascinated by the challenges and opportunities presented by seasonal products. Few categories face this challenge more acutely than ice cream.

While ice cream has traditionally been viewed as a summer indulgence, brands in this industry have long grappled with sales slumps during colder months. However, innovative companies are now finding creative ways to break free from these seasonal shackles, with Magnum Ice Cream leading the charge with their unique strategies.

The Seasonality Challenge

Ice cream’s association with summer is deeply ingrained in the consumer psyche. It’s the go-to treat for beach days, picnics, and scorching afternoons. However, this seasonal perception poses a significant hurdle for brands aiming for year-round relevance and sales stability. The key to overcoming this challenge? Creating new usage occasions that extend beyond the traditional summer months.

Magnum’s Masterstroke: Redefining Ice Cream Moments – Occasion-Based Marketing

Magnum Ice Cream has been a pioneer in this trend, skillfully crafting marketing campaigns and product innovations that position their treats as suitable for a variety of occasions throughout the year. Let’s delve into some of their strategies, which serve as excellent examples of how to overcome seasonal sales challenges:

1. Luxury Positioning: Magnum has long been a premium, indulgent treat. This association with luxury helps detach the product from specific seasons, making it an appropriate choice for year-round moments of self-reward or celebration.

2. Adult-Focused Marketing: By targeting adults rather than children, Magnum opens up new usage occasions. Their campaigns often depict sophisticated scenarios where enjoying an ice cream is an act of self-care or a moment of pleasure amidst a busy day – contexts that aren’t tied to summer activities.

3. Product Diversification: Magnum has expanded beyond traditional ice cream bars. Their range now includes mini bites, tubs, and even non-dairy options, showcasing their versatility. This diversity allows for different consumption scenarios, from solo indulgence to sharing at dinner parties, catering to a wide range of consumer preferences.

4. Seasonal Limited Editions: Paradoxically, Magnum uses seasonality to its advantage by launching limited-edition flavors for different times of the year. Winter-themed flavors like Chocolate Hazelnut or White Chocolate create excitement and relevance during colder months.

5. Pairing Suggestions: Magnum has explored pairing their ice creams with other foods and drinks, such as dessert wines or coffee. This positions their products as sophisticated dessert options for dinner parties or cozy nights, regardless of outside weather.

By implementing these strategies, Magnum has successfully expanded its perceived appropriateness beyond hot summer days.

Magnum’s FIND YOUR SUMMER campaign is genius. Watch the video below or click here to see it.

But they’re not alone in this endeavor. Let’s look at three other brands that have built campaigns around new usage occasions:

1. Häagen-Dazs: “Don’t Hold Back” Campaign

Häagen-Dazs launched their “Don’t Hold Back” campaign, encouraging consumers to indulge in their favorite flavors without guilt. This campaign effectively positioned ice cream as a reward or a form of self-care, making it relevant year-round.

Key Strategies:

– Emotional connection: The campaign tapped into the idea of deserving pleasure, regardless of the season. This is a twist on occasion-based marketing innovation.

– Diverse scenarios: Advertisements showed people enjoying Häagen-Dazs in various settings, from cozy nights to celebratory moments.

– Product innovation: The brand introduced stick bars and mini cups, making their ice cream more convenient for on-the-go consumption and portion control.

2. Ben & Jerry’s: “Netflix & Chilll’d” Flavor

Ben & Jerry’s collaboration with Netflix is a prime example of creating a new usage occasion. Launching a flavor designed explicitly for binge-watching, they tapped into the growing trend of at-home entertainment.

Key Strategies:

– Cultural relevance: Aligning with the popular activity of streaming shows at home.

– Comfort food positioning: Emphasizing ice cream as the perfect companion for cozy, indoor activities.

– Co-branding: Leveraging Netflix’s brand power to create excitement and relevance beyond traditional ice cream occasions.

3. Halo Top: “Stop Shoulding Yourself” Campaign

Halo Top, known for its low-calorie ice creams, launched a campaign that challenged the notion of ice cream as an occasional treat. Their “Stop Shoulding Yourself” campaign encouraged consumers to enjoy ice cream more frequently without guilt.

Key Strategies:

– Health-conscious positioning: Halo Top made it more acceptable to consume ice cream regularly by emphasizing its low-calorie content.

– Challenging norms: The campaign directly addressed and subverted the idea that ice cream should be a rare indulgence.

– Lifestyle integration: Marketing materials showed people enjoying Halo Top as part of their daily routines, not just as a special treat.

The Future of Ice Cream Marketing and Occasion-Based Marketing

As these examples demonstrate, successful ice cream brands think outside the pint when it comes to marketing. By creating new usage occasions, they’re not just combating seasonality—they’re expanding the overall market for their products.

Looking ahead, I anticipate several trends in this space:

1. Functional ice creams: We may see more brands developing ice creams with added health benefits, positioning them as part of a balanced diet rather than an occasional indulgence.

2. Experience-based marketing: Brands might focus on creating unique experiences around ice cream consumption, making it an event rather than a treat.

3. Personalization: With advancements in e-commerce and direct-to-consumer models, we could see more personalized ice cream offerings, allowing consumers to create perfect flavors for any occasion.

4. Sustainability focus: As consumers become more environmentally conscious, brands emphasizing sustainable practices may find new ways to connect with audiences year-round. Occasion-based marketing means you find a new time and place to insert your product.

The Last Lick

The key to overcoming seasonality in the ice cream industry lies in creative marketing that expands usage occasions.

By thinking beyond the conventional and tapping into diverse consumer needs and desires, brands can ensure their products remain relevant and desired, regardless of the temperature outside.

The success of Magnum and others shows that with the right approach, ice cream can be a year-round treat. As marketers, our challenge is to continue finding innovative ways to position these products, ensuring they remain integral to consumers’ lives every season.

Connect with Jeff at The Marketing Sage Consultancy. Interested in setting up a call with me? Use my calendly to schedule a time to talk. The call is free, and we can discuss your brand and marketing needs. If you want to learn more about my new offering, The Trusted Advisor Board, you can click here to learn the details. Feel free to email me at jeffslater@themarketing sage.com or text 919 720 0995. Thanks for your interest in working with The Marketing Sage Consultancy.