Iceland is returning to a more traditional festive campaign after its divisive Rang Tan ad last year, with the focus on telling the ‘untold story’ around frozen food and the role it can play at Christmas.
Iceland is hoping to bring some “warmth and magic” to the frozen food category this Christmas with the help of Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven, the animated stars of Frozen 2 and the retailer’s festive ad campaign.
The collaboration with Disney – which has been in the pipeline since the middle of 2018 – kicks off with a 40-second TV spot on ITV on (1 November).
Coinciding with the release of Frozen 2 at the end of November, the ads feature exclusive custom animations that Walt Disney Animation Studios created for Iceland. They bring Frozen 2’s characters together for a traditional game of charades and to celebrate their favourite things about Christmas.
Iceland 2018’s campaign saw it borrow Greenpeace’s ‘Rang Tan’ ad, which highlighted the issue of deforestation but had been banned because Greenpeace is seen as a political organisation, and proved divisive.
Iceland’s marketing director, Neil Hayes, tells Marketing Week it felt right to return to a more traditional Christmas campaign this year.
Elevating the role of frozen food
Iceland hopes the ad can elevate the role of frozen food at Christmas by showing its value and quality.
“There’s a huge untold story around frozen food and the role it can play at Christmas. There’s a real focus on letting people understand the value and quality of frozen food,” says Hayes.
In addition to the hero ad, Iceland will run a number of 30-second product-focused films, as well as digital and social activity, press and a “small amount” of out-of-home activity in London.
But TV remains the most important channel for Iceland at Christmas.
Iceland will also advertise on Disney’s digital and TV channels.
In addition, Iceland and Disney Kitchen have co-developed a range of Frozen 2 products, which Hayes says have been “selling really well” in-store since the start of October. These include Olaf Shaped Noses and Icicle Lollies, which start from £1.
Iceland is selling a range of non-food items as well, including a one-metre tall Jumbo Olaf soft toy, which Iceland claims is the largest of its kind in the UK.
Quoted from Marketing week.