Unilever’s Indonesian ice cream brand Paddle Pop created a new kids entertainment franchise based around its mascot. This case study looks at how the cross media marketing campaign boosted sales up to 43% in some territories.
MAX/Paddle Pop 2012 from sangsara on Vimeo.
Kids (8 -12 years old) have always loved ice cream, but keeping Unilever’s Indonesian Ice bream brand Paddle Pop top of mind against increased snack and media entertainment choices was a big challenge.
Back in 2011, looking to truly engage its core target of older kids, the brand worked with agency Lowe and Partners created a unique approach that would differentiate them from peers who would focus their programs solely around product innovation or consumer promotion.
The brand used its existing mascot, the Paddle Pop Lion as a basis for a full global 360 Kids entertainment franchise. The aim was to create stories that would bring alive the brand’s essence through its mascots’ adventures and make these as engaging as the cartoons and games kids already loved.
The brand talked to kids globally to understand exactly what they wanted out of entertainment content. In response, the 2012 digital campaign laid the groundwork for an entertainment portal that would showcase the brand’s unique content for kids aged 8-14. The adventures also featured Paddle Pop’s friend Leena (who appealed to the girls) and a network of friends that would help them thwart the evil Shadow Master.
Video episodes for their successful animated series were released online in tandem with television and cinema releases in major markets. A series of 2D platforming games were also developed to extend the adventure. Kids were also able to watch the content as a 90-minute movie in cinemas, on DVD and online too.
In addition to the content, they developed a 360-immersion program, keeping kids engaged all summer long. From a Paddle Pop Adventures theme parks, online gaming, live events, to dedicated websites, PR, sponsorships, and competitions (sticks promotions).
View a sample of the updated ‘Dino’ themed web page below:
web page
All activity supported sales of Kids Ice Cream themed with the movies. Paddle Pop Adventures featured in over 1 million Kids Ice Cream POS outlets globally and in TVCs across more than 30 markets.
Effectiveness / Results
In markets where the Paddle Pop brand already existed, the brand hit new highs in terms of conviction (strengthen kid’s loyalty) up to 71% in Indonesia. In markets where they launched for the first time they generated high awareness up to 90%.
The TV programs performed strongly against established kids programming such as Spongebob,, High School Musical, Phineas & Ferb and Harry Potter in markets such as, Indonesia, Australia, Mexico and India.
In Turkey, where the content was introduced in cinema to paying customers, the brand hit a high of the #3 most watched film in the country performing ahead of Hollywood movies and made Paddle become the number 1 most loved character in Turkey.
Over 1.2M kids in India joined to the Paddle Pop Gaming League and over 5 million DVD’s were redeemed via promotions in Southeast Asia.
The impact of the program translated into unprecedented Ice Cream sales with global growth of +26% and with new markets growing even more strongly at +43%.
View the Paddle Pop homepage here