A Moment of Luxury
Posted by Rose Morrison on May 22, 2012
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Haagen Daz have never been about the big personality; it is just not their style, they are an embodiment of indulgence and luxury; moments that are not easily forgotten. Such enduring qualities are I believe the very reason why despite a cut of up to 68% in ad spend Haagen Daz have kept year on year sales consistent. Ben and Jerry’s take on a rather more playful personality, a character that if taken in human form would be great fun but somewhat high maintenance. For a brand such as Ben and Jerry’s to survive they must take to the spotlight hence breaking with trends and increasing ad spend by £800.000. Ultimately these two brands are fighting for the same occasion (in home eating) but they cater for very different moments and subsequently require very different approaches to advertising; the very fact that Ben and Jerry’s have upped ad spend and Haagen Daz have withdrawn speaks many words about these different personalities and helps to pull these two brands apart in the consumer’s minds.
Haagen Daz is a brand of subtlety oozing with luxurious ingredients each telling a tale of persuasion and ultimate indulgence unlike its all singing, all dancing freezer buddy Ben and Jerry’s. It is in light of these virtues that the Haagen Daz blog appears extremely fitting to the brand. Miss H and Mr D represent a lifestyle of culture, travel, luxury and ultimately indulgence. Whether it is slipping on that red dress for a first date or sitting in a beautiful Alfa Romeo they are both about fully submerging oneself in a moment; a moment that could just as well be a Haagen Daz moment. These occasions encourage an ‘if you are going to indulge you might as well do it in style’ kind of attitude. This approach to social media is extremely fitting to the luxury arena and is used a lot by luxury fashion brands such as Louis Vuitton creating a world in which the consumer can aspire to; a world where your brand can take centre stage. Centre stage for Haagen Daz is not the brilliant Ben and Jerry’s circus act; however effective it may well be, it is about taking to the Catwalk at Paris fashion week. Fashion week is about deviant thinking (Haagen Daz Secret Sensations), exclusivity (Mint Choc Chip – with real mint leaves) and exceptional quality. And it is these values that make Haagen Daz it quite so alluring.
The key to this brand is the ingredients and the moments these assist. Just as each ingredient of your appearance is self-indulgently planned out before that first date; telling a story about who you are as a person, the dress the shoes, the lipstick; so too are the ingredients within that indulgent tub of ice cream. It is their subtle ability to rise to the occasion that makes this brand so very desirable and during a time of Jubilee fever so very appropriate for a Royal occasion full of indulgence and luxury.
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