Ben & Jerry’s
Event structure
Ben & Jerry’s has an in-house creative team, and has worked with event agency N20 on a number of previous events, with press office support from Mischief PR.
Social footprint
@benandjerrysUK currently has 34,700 Twitter followers. Globally, the brand has 7.9 million likes on Facebook and 549,000 Instagram followers.
Recent campaigns
Last summer, the ice cream giant teamed up with brand activation company N20 for a sampling tour across London, promoting its Greek-style frozen yoghurt. Customers could enjoy their free samples in a pop-up garden featuring picnic benches and the famous cow mascot. The campaign interacted with fans via social media, encouraging fans to request a location for the tour with the #greektour hashtag. It was launched at the British Summertime Festival, interacting with 85,000 festival-goers.
Latest campaign
Ben & Jerry’s latest campaign channelled the brand’s eco-awareness ethos. The Big Ice Screening ran from 31 July-2 August on Clapham Common. Devised by Mischief PR and event agency N20, the event saw a total of eight film screenings, entirely powered by pedalling and environmentally friendly hybrid power from Firefly. The venue evoked the fun, quirky nature of the brand, with grass sofas, cow print beanbags and giant Jenga, whilst promoting its Save our Swirled climate change movement. Unlimited free samples of Ben & Jerry’s cookie core range were available alongside pop-up food and drink stalls.
Häagen-Dazs
Event structure
Häagen-Dazs has an internal brand and marketing team that works on activations, such as the recent Häagen-Dazs’ Master Ice Cream Academy. The in-house team also worked with Hill+Knowlton Strategies and Bisqit on the launch event and ongoing activity around the campaign.
Social footprint
@haagendaszuk has 4,610 followers on Twitter, with 3.2 million likes globally on Facebook. On Instagram the brand has 16,000 followers.
Recent campaigns
August 2013 saw Häagen-Dazs team up with The Luna Cinema and agency Electrify for a fusion of tastes, sights and sounds. The campaign saw a series of outdoor film screenings at iconic venues across the UK including Kew Gardens, Warwick Castle and Hampton Court Palace.
Samples of Häagen-Dazs mini cups were provided for the classic films on offer, including Grease, Some Like It Hot and Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Guests could also have their photo taken at the event and, with a unique QR code, could build their own photo album online. This formed part of Häagen-Dazs’s digital drive to build a stronger following on social media.
Latest campaign
Fast-forward two years, and Häagen-Dazs launched its first large-scale experiential campaign, acting as a springboard for the brand’s PR plans for the remainder of the year. The Master Ice Cream Academy aimed to exude the luxurious feel of the brand, encouraging customers to experience the unique quality of Häagen-Dazs.
The two-day educational activation, devised in collaboration with Hill+Knowlton Strategies and Bisqit, explored how taste is affected by sight, sound and scent. Duck & Waffle’s head chef Dan Doherty explored innovative culinary uses for Häagen-Dazs. The event engaged with more than 300 guests, with Twitter and Facebook taking the count to over one million.
Verdict
Event says: A close call with comparable activations, but the environmentally friendly angle of Ben & Jerry’s campaigns edges them to sweet victory.
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