We digitized the Cornetto cone, using fun and colorful designs, and created a simple mobile engagement to allow teens to confess their love.

Teens simply scan the QR code on the package to access our interactive mobile site, where they can then confess their love with templated responses or create their own messages.

There is no SnapChat in China. But we took a cue from that platform and made our engagement real time as well. Recipients had to read the love confession sent to them within 7 minutes, otherwise the message melted away just like a real ice cream (7 minutes is the average time that it takes for a real Cornetto to melt at room temperature).

The mobile engagement was triggered by scanning a QR code on the Cornetto packaging and our love-confession site was promoted heavily within social media. Teens could customize a colorful and fun digital Cornetto cone and confess their love to someone using the QQ messaging app.

Just like a real Cornetto, the love message would melt away if it wasn’t consumed in time.

This mobile experience was supported by an entire integrated campaign, including TVCs, online videos, posters, and interactive vending machines.

Zhao Jiamin and Zhang Yixing, two of the most popular teen idols in China, were selected to be the spokespeople for this campaign. We designed the Cornetto packaging to include their images. And the two idols appeared in our television commercials for the campaign, as well as in online videos. They also posted love confession messages via Weibo and helped generate a lot of buzz for the campaign.

The campaign generated over 38 million conversations in social with a media value of over 46 million RMB. Over 11 million teens confessed their love using Cornetto. And the overall campaign delivered over 1.9 BILLION social media impressions. On the business side, the campaign delivered a 10.6% increase in sales volume, year-on-year, which was more than double the campaign KPI.