For the past few weeks, we’ve really seen the start of Summer in the Hub office – recent soaring temperatures and the daily ring of the ice cream man's van has given us reason to daydream of relaxing in the sun, feeling a fresh breeze and enjoying a nice frozen treat. To embrace that, we’ve been taking a look at some of this year’s best ice cream ads, looking for a cool twist on the usual formats...

Baskin Robbins – Yes, Please

Baskin Robbins is famous for its diverse range of 31 flavours, and this fast-paced ad for the USA throws out a rapid-fire blast of things that make you say “yes, please”. The pace of the advert is reminiscent of an ice cream induced sugar rush we experienced as children, and we like the way this is mirrored in the voice over on this ad. As a whole, the ad really embodies the feeling of being a child in a sweetshop, and this is just how Baskin Robbins want us to feel upon entering one of their stores...

Magnum – Release the Beast

Magnum have a long history as a fashionable ice cream brand. Celebrities from Rachel Bilson to Eva Longoria have previously been the face of this delicious chocolatey treat, and the past two years has seen the brand collaborate with Selfridges for their 'Make My Magnum' campaign. This year, we see them teaming up with British model Cara Delevingne and Moschino. The result is a shiny, glamorous, Hollywood ad with a sense of style and playfulness. The animated characters bring a youthful feel - far different from their highly sexualised campaigns with Eva and Rachel. 

Ben & Jerry’s – We Make It All Better

Ben and Jerry's have nailed those two thoughts we've all had after getting home at the end of a long working day...
1. Being an adult is hard
2. Can we have ice cream for dinner?
From being a terrible cook, to getting dumped, to a terrible hangover, Ben and Jerry's give us more reasons here to grab a spoon and forget about the some of the more painful elements of adulthood. We really like the simplicity of this one and think Ben and Jerry's have hit the nail on the head with these go-to excuses for pulling out the ice cream. 

Häagen-Dazs – Simple Sounds

Häagen-Dazs illustrates luxury ice cream here with beautiful high definition shots of their strawberry flavour. Interspersed with imagery of a pianist learning his craft, Häagen-Dazs argues that extraordinary things are created through passion and perseverance, but are born from simple beginnings. We like the way that Häagen-Dazs captures the luxurious flavours of it's ice cream here through an indirect narrative of their heritage.

Kelly’s - #speakcornish

You might remember Kelly’s for having a great advertisement on British TV last year communicated almost entirely in Cornish. They’re back again this year with a new campaign titled “#speakcornish”. Similarly to last year, this year’s campaign again focuses on the unique linguistic heritage of Cornwall. Each 20-second slot shows a few Cornish words and their translations, before showing that their flavours are the same in Cornish and English. It’s informative and well-produced, and we think that the linguistic element of the advert really lends itself to the shorter clips that Kelly's has created.