04 Feb 2008


Print	Email

Eva Longoria to push Magnum

Magnum

Unilever

Ice Cream

Impulse

Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria is the new face of Magnum ice cream.

The ‘A’ list celebrity will be promoting the brand in a multi-million pound campaign breaking in April.

It will comprise TV advertising, posters, pr and PoS.

Longoria will be featured with new additions to the Magnum multi-pack and impulse singles portfolio.

They include Mayan Mystica, a chocolate ice cream covered in milk chocolate flavoured with cinnamon, honey and nutmeg.

It is available in multi-packs of three, rrp £2.79; and impulse singles, rrp £1.10.

Magnum senior brand manager, Anna Ford, said the launch built on the launch of Equador Dark last year, and responded to consumers’ growing interest in premium chocolate.

Ford told Talking Retail: “We want to drive Magnum as the global icon of chocolate indulgence.”

The Unilever brand is also targeting more everyday eating occasions with the launch of Magnum Minis. These are half the size of a standard Magnum and come in three multi-packs of six: a mixed pack featuring Classic, Almond and White; a new Dark Chocolate & Strawberry variant; and Double Carmel & Double Chocolate. Rrp is £2.99.

Magnum will be hoping Longoria and the new launches whet the consumers’ appetite for ice cream in 2008.

Poor weather in 2007 impacted sales and the total market declined by 4% with a 13.5% sales drop in impulse singles and 5.5% sales fall in multi-packs.

Despite the trend, Magnum held up well and recorded a 3% sales increase (IRI) with a 12.9% increase in multi-packs and 7.3% decline in impulse singles.

It is the number one ice cream with a brand value of £77m (IRI). It has 15% share of multi-packs and 24.9% share in impulse singles.

By Fiona Briggs