Download Hagen-Dazs - Some like it hotter

Haagen-Dazs - Some like it hotter
INTRODUCTION
This paper seeks to demonstrate how planning helped identify the need to change an extremely
popular, successful and well-established advertising campaign. It goes on to explain the contribution of
planning in steering the development of new creative work, so that valuable past campaign strengths
were retained whilst, simultaneously, new issues were addressed. The resultant new advertising achieved
the harmonious synthesis of key properties from the past, with original and new elements.
AN ACT TO FOLLOW
In 1991 Hagen-Dazs was launched on to the national UK market with one of the most successful and
talked-about press advertising campaigns ever. The campaign succeeded in creating very substantial
impact despite its modest budget, and despite the fact that it was launching a super-premium product
in the midst of deep economic recession. New press executions were then added over the next three
years, and Hagen-Dazs developed into a national symbol of sexiness and sensuality. By mid-1994 the
success had scarcely faded, so there was a strong urge to continue our established advertising
campaign. Hagen-Dazs' UK sales still showed healthy year-on-year growth, brand awareness was
increasing and Hagen-Dazs continued to attract an enviable quantity of PR coverage. Why consider
disrupting such a comfortable situation?
THE NEED FOR CHANGE
Ignoring the dazzle of past success, we now took careful stock of the brand's situation, and our analysis
revealed three reasons why it might not be enough simply to develop another wave of our established
press campaign.
Firstly, and most obviously, the market situation had changed. Hagen-Dazs had now been joined by a
number of new super-premium rivals and, in particular, the recent arrival of Ben & Jerry's had to be
carefully considered. This innovative, wacky, homespun, American brand threatened to charm our
more leading-edge consumers, and, in the process, to 're-position' Hagen-Dazs as a less exciting and
mouldbreaking brand by comparison. Secondly, quantitative tracking suggested that the impact and
cut-through of our original press ads had diminished: post-advertising increases in ad awareness were
becoming lower than we had grown accustomed to. However, the third factor identified as evidence
of the need for a change of creative campaign was arguably the most important: namely, the fact
that the original Hagen-Dazs press ads had become too familiar (perhaps even, ironically, 'too popular').
Even in broadly-sampled qualitative groups, our campaign was now being almost universally
recognised, enjoyed and applauded. This was important because Hagen-Dazs is a brand whose
success has always been rooted in innovation and unconventionality. Part of its appeal has been its
original and mould-breaking approach to all elements of marketing: Hagen-Dazs was the first UK, icecream brand explicitly to target adults and the first to open its own shops; it has a peculiarly
unpronounceable, unspellable name; it launched with a 50% price premium; its pack graphics are
commonly described as 'odd', and its range includes flavours never previously heard of. Original,
leading-edge advertising is therefore in keeping with the brand's overall identity. On top of that, past
experience with this brand had also taught us to distrust the traditional marketer's desire for generally
'likeable', easily enjoyable ads. Hagen-Dazs advertising's power to surprise and impress our core target
group also tended often to entail a measure of initial discomfort and disapproval amongst other people
(often older and/or less sexually relaxed). Almost universal palatability and enjoyment of our press
executions might therefore be a worrying sign: had the campaign become too easy, too unchallenging?
Overall, we felt the need to change our advertising approach was not just a factor of new market
conditions and diminishing advertising cut-through. The essence of the Hagen-Dazs brand is such that it
demands unconventionality and originality for its continued success. Now that our print campaign had
become so familiar, we believed it was time to surprise and, hopefully, impress our consumers once
again. So, with all these concerns fresh in our minds, we set up a piece of qualitative research to
investigate the issues further and to provide guidance for future advertising development.
THE RESEARCH APPROACH
Despite early success, Hagen-Dazs was at this stage still a comparatively young brand. Future
advertising therefore would need both to help to attract new users and to encourage infrequent users
to buy the brand more often. Nevertheless, we chose to conduct our research only among core, heavy
Hagen-Dazs users. This decision was driven not only by concern that changed market circumstances
may have put these heavy users' loyalty under threat, but also by our belief that it was our heartland
users - the Hagen-Dazs zealots - who would provide the best guidance for original and distinctive
advertising development. Advertising based on the views of peripheral, uninvolved brand users would
risk superficiality and the reduction of Hagen-Dazs to its lowest common denominator. In contrast, by
reflecting what our core, heartland users found most appealing about Hagen-Dazs, we could develop
advertising rooted in the most distinctive and motivating heart - the real nerve centre - of the brand.
With such powerfully-grounded advertising based on core users' perceptions, we believed we could
then set out to 'convert the unbelievers'.
POINTERS FOR THE FUTURE
Qualitative research confirmed two of our initial hypotheses. Firstly, that the proposition of our original
press campaign remained as appealing and motivating as ever: consumers still eulogised about the
Hagen-Dazs eating experience as a moment of absolute sensual, intimate pleasure. Secondly, the
research confirmed that these original press ads were starting to lose some of their initially very high
impact and power: repetition, familiarity and emulation by other advertisers had rendered our
campaign less distinctive and interesting. Consumers still liked and respected this advertising approach,
but they had simply started to 'get used to' it. On top of this, the research added valuable learning with
regard to the tone and the style of the original Hagen-Dazs print campaign. Depth discussions revealed
that, particularly when set alongside the wacky, spontaneous-looking Ben & Jerry's, these ads were
starting to look a little 'studied' and distant - perhaps even a bit cold. The perfect models and beautifully
stylised black and white photography were still attractive and impactful, but, next to Ben & Jerry's, were
in danger of making Hagen-Dazs seem slightly arrogant and frosty - not so much a brand for fallible,
podgy, normal 'people like me'. This learning was critical. It now appeared clear that future Hagen-Dazs
advertising should convey the same core 'message' as previously (ie 'the ultimate sensual intimate
pleasure'), but that we would have to develop a very different style and manner of delivering this
message.
MEDIA STRATEGY
We recognised that a change of media, as well as new creative work, could help refresh as well as
'warm up' Hagen-Dazs' advertising. Film was selected as the most appropriate choice, by virtue of its
being both highly impactful and also ideal for developing emotive, atmospheric executions. Intelligent
media planning then ensured that our new film would still appear in an appropriately intimate, private
environment (as was the case with the original press campaign), whilst presenting consumers with a
strikingly unexpected commercial. The new Hagen-Dazs ad was therefore screened only at the cinema,
and at the front of selected rental videos or during carefully selected TV feature films, ie on occasions
when viewers were likely to be curled up on the sofa engrossed in a good movie.
CREATIVE BRIEFING
As the attached creative brief makes clear (Appendix 1), we briefed the creative department to
produce a new Hagen-Dazs film which -like the original press campaign - communicated that eating
Hagen-Dazs is a moment of intense sensual, intimate pleasure. We needed to preserve this, the brand's
'essence', while moving into a new medium. However, planning was now able to provide clear
guidance about how this new advertising should also diverge from the approach of its predecessor.
First of all, we cautioned the creative team not to develop a commercial that was essentially a moving
version of the original Hagen-Dazs press ads, set to music. We knew from research that this was precisely
what consumers would expect us to do, so such an approach would have failed to create impact or to
impress and surprise. Such a predictable approach would also have run counter to Hagen-Dazs'
acknowledged strength as a clever, unconventional and innovative brand. Equally importantly, we
discussed in depth with the creative department the issues that had been raised about the tone of the
previous press advertising. We explained the importance of our new commercial feeling 'close' and
highly personable in tone; that it had to feel rather softer, more approachable and less 'distant'. Overall,
we summed up, following Ben & Jerry's. arrival on the market, Hagen-Dazs' original press advertising
risked starting to make the brand seem a little cold: we needed to 'warm it up' on film. And in the
context of this discussion, we alluded to an interesting and distinctive aspect of Hagen-Dazs' brand
identity which we had long been aware of, but the creative potential of which we had not previously
recognised: namely, the brand's 'schizophrenic temperature'. It was this important observation that the
creative department now picked up on and developed.
Of course Hagen-Dazs is a frozen product and, as such, is known to be cold. However, by virtue of its
rich, dense creaminess and its sensual, indulgent brand personality, Hagen-Dazs has always been
described by consumers as paradoxically 'warm'. The physical temperature of the product may be low,
but its emotional temperature is high. And this facet of the brand's identity now provided a strong
springboard for creative development.
THE CREATIVE WORK
The resultant new commercial - 'Heat' - grew straight out of the observation of Hagen-Dazs' dual
temperature, and the overall briefing sessions. Its use of heat-sensitive film was, of course, visually striking
and highly original - thus meeting our demand for arresting, challenging and innovative new work. More
importantly, however, this filming technique allowed us to dramatise the paradox of Hagen-Dazs being
something cold which nevertheless 'warms things up': sensual pleasure was thus strongly communicated,
but by virtue of a new creative idea. Moreover, the new commercial appeared to have succeeded in
developing the tone of our advertising vs. the first press work. It was recognised by consumers to be
warm, personable and engaging:
The core brand proposition - sensual intimate pleasure - was communicated with innovation and
freshness...the approach (using a vividcolour approach, but one which 'softened' the characters) made
the campaign more engaging and allowed a greater degree of involvement (than the original press
ads)...overall, this was a spectacularly well-received execution and was exactly on brief.
(David Hopper Qualitative Research Debrief, April 1995)
SUMMARY
Early research indicates that the achievement of this new commercial is considerable. It seems clear
that we have managed to walk the tightrope between change and consistency: planning has helped
ensure that established campaign strengths have been identified and maintained, while powerful new
ideas and direction have been encouraged and incorporated. The result is a film which looks totally
unlike the original Hagen-Dazs press campaign, and yet which could only be a Hagen-Dazs ad. In the
words of one wily, but succinct, brand user:
They've done this so that it brings more people in, more normal people, but it's still Hagen-Dazs. That's
obvious. No-one else smears icecream all over themselves.
(David Hopper Qualitative Research Debrief, April 1995)
Obviously, some Hagen Dazs users do like it hotter.
APPENDIX 1 - CREATIVE BRIEF
Client:
Hagen-Dazs Europe.
The product is:
Finest quality fresh cream ice-cream.
The brand is:
Dedicated to pleasure.
1. Why are we advertising in this instance?
l To re-express what makes Hagen-Dazs so special and unique, in a manner that is fresh and challenging.
l We need to find an original, thought-provoking and highly engaging new way of reminding people of
Hagen-Dazs' core benefit (sensual intimate pleasure).
2. Who are we talking to?
l Young (20-34), upmarket 'foodies' who appreciate high quality and new/experimental foods - and who
don't need an excuse to treat
themselves.
l Some will know Hagen-Dazs well and be enthusiastic brand loyalists.Others will have a more vague
impression of the brand. All of them, however, probably think Hagen-Dazs seems less interesting and
exciting than it did a few years ago.
3. What do we want people to think or feel?
l That Hagen-Dazs is the ultimate sensual intimate pleasure.
4. What justification are we providing as support?
l An absolutely amazing product (try it): intense full flavours, unique textural combinations and a rich,
dense creaminess.
l Hagen-Dazs is made with almost 50% cream and the finest quality raw ingredients. Quality control and
quality of ingredients are always of an uncompromisingly high standard. (Precise details to be
confirmed by the Client).
5. What practical considerations?
l New campaign must remain true to the tone of 'the Hagen-Dazs moment'.
l This campaign should be designed to run in the UK in 1995, but after that throughout Europe. It must
therefore be able to be adapted for use in other European countries.
l Retain endline: 'Dedicated to pleasure'.
© Copyright Account Planning Group 1995
Account Planning Group
16 Creighton Avenue, London N10 1NU, UK
Tel: +1 (0) 181 444 3692, Fax: +1 (0) 181 883 9953
www.warc.com
All rights reserved including database rights. This electronic file is for the personal use of authorised users based at the subscribing company's office location. It may not be reproduced,
posted on intranets, extranets or the internet, e-mailed, archived or shared electronically either within the purchaser’s organisation or externally without express written permission from
World Advertising Research Center.
Kasnije kampanje
Kampanja 2007.
Kampanja 2006.
Kampanja 2000.