Disrupting the Ice-Cream World
Expertise
Brand Positioning and Proposition
Name Generation
Brand Identity
Branded Experience and Interior Design
Launch and Awareness Strategy
Art Direction
Product Development
1.47
Million Views on Social Media
+6000
Products Were Sold
1200
Samples distributed
To energise and disrupt the global soft ice-cream market, by creating an experience-led product brand and retail ecosystem.
Wall’s engaged us to create and develop a completely new directional brand in their ice cream stable. Briefed to ‘think and act like a start-up’, the collaboration targets Gen Z & millennial influencers alongside traditional soft-ice fans including kids. It was designed to launch a product brand through experiential and social media activations, rather than traditional advertising.
Championing Creativity: A no-holds-barred explosion of artistic self-expression.
Where Art Meets Ice-Cream
Our collaboration with Wall’s developed the Soft Republick brand from positioning, customer profiling, digital & physical communications, to global launch & marketing strategy, coming together as a complete brand experience. Conceptually a vibrant, positive force for good in the world, Soft Republick brings communities together over the simple joy of ‘Messy Creativity’ expressed through the delicious artistic medium of soft ice-cream & unlimited combinations of individually assembled serving combinations.
A Free & Expressive Identity
As well as a logo crafted as an illustration, exclusive photography and graphic characters, we created and developed a bespoke custom typeface. This font features three styles alternating through random programming, allowing each typographic lock-up to feel different to the last – the overall effect giving a playful yet measured design.
Brought to Life Experientially
Initially trialled as a successful pop-up store in London’s iconic Spitalfield’s Market, we then took the ice-cream revolution was across the globe. For the simultaneous activation in Brighton, UK and Istanbul, Turkey, we developed Soft Republick ‘Experience Ecosystems’ to launch, localise and test the flexible brand model in live sites; all done to drive social media traffic and brand engagement without heavy advertising spend.
I-AM was the perfect partner to help us create a sophisticated and innovative brand experience, with flexible assets that could travel across Soft Republick's ecosystem.
A Brand with Purpose
As part of the brand concept, we worked on ways to introduce local relevance. With the aim to inspire creativity and encourage self-expression, we created a brand experience that supports local creative talent. We did this by implementing a free space within the stores to promote local talent. Brighton artist ‘Pinky’ was the first to take over the space with fantastic results.
Social Strategy
Soft Republick took to social media by storm, bringing in plenty of followers and becoming a hit with influencers and bloggers. We set a launch strategy that built over time and got people talking about the brand.
Behind the scenes
Research & Workshop
By building a Shared understanding of the Soft Republick brand, purpose, learnings, trends and objectives, we assembled a cross-functional working party to define the brand experience attributes and principles of each touchpoint, as well as what would be served and experienced there. We conducted best-in-class tours of ice cream experiences in London and virtual tours in Tokyo and Berlin to analyse exciting new concepts.
Food Development
In-depth exploration of the product-serve side of the market informed our involvement in developing unique soft-serve formats such as the ‘Soft Dog’, Mini Eys-scream and Graffiti Cone. It was a tough job but someone had to do it.
Art Direction
We visually managed all aspects of bespoke site illustrations. Sourcing, finding, briefing and working with the street artists involved.We also managed the product photography art direction.
Brand Activation
Ultimately Soft Republick is a product brand, and its strategy requires a brand experience, to be first encountered at different physical ‘format touch-points with a detailed service design process. The stores, kiosks, ice-cream vans and even ice-cream backpacks provided amazing content for the social media feeds. The resulting ‘Urban Explosion’ is a Soft Republick brand world that champions self-expression and celebrates individuality.wal
Stökk
Grab and Go Explore
Pizza Union
Celebrating Super Fast Pizza
Choppaluna
Chop It Like It’s Hot
LÓA
Human + Nature = Inspiration
SMASH.
Save Money and Stay Healthy
HAZ
A Thoroughly Modern Mediterranean
KFC
From Finger Lickin’ Good to Finger Lickin’ Great
Center Hotels
Stay Like a Local
Côte
Bringing the 'Joie de Vivre'
Héðinn
Harnessing the Power of Man and Nature
