Simple Sells Simple

This series of print ads speak for themselves. Literally.

And since the campaign was just awarded Grand Prize from the Magazine Publishers Association (less exciting) for efficacy in driving awareness (more impressive), it seems the deliberately simple approach didn't lose anything despite its nakedness.

When a product runs on a platform of simplicity, it's often a bad idea to crowd or over complicate the communication that seeks to peddle it. As consumers, our reaction to advertising just as any stimuli, is largely visceral.

Like the product, the insight here seems pretty simple too. Ice cream is an indulgent food and people feel guilty eating it for two reasons: a) the fattening monster lives within and b) the trying-to-be-healthy ice creams tend to replace sugar and cream with artificial this and thats, which negates its attempt to be healthy in the first place, plus it tastes bad.

In Haagen Dazs' case, there are 5 simple ingredients. Sure they come with the burden of fat and calories, but when you see what 5 real ingredients they actually are, it makes the thought of putting them in your body seem a little less harsh. Demystification at its best.

The photography here is gorgeous. And when you're selling food, appetite appeal is everything (more on that in future posts).

This one's ON STRATEGY, winning awards and probably selling ice cream.