Cornetto (ice cream)


A Cornetto with hazelnuts

Cornetto is a branded frozen dessert cone manufactured by Unilever and sold under their Wall's brand. Several variations of the product exist, ranging from milk based ice cream to vegetable fat based dessert.[1]

Manufacturing

For a long time, the idea of selling frozen ice-cream cones had been impractical, as the ice cream would soak into the cone during the manufacturing process and make it soggy and unpalatable when served. It was in 1959 that Spica,[2] an Italian ice-cream manufacturer based in Naples, overcame this problem by insulating the inside of the waffle cone from the ice-cream with a coating of oil, sugar and chocolate.

Varieties

The product is available in a variety of flavours, including Strawberry, Mint Chocolate, Nut, Lemon, Whippy (Yogurt flavour with a chewy chocolate), Valentine's Day flavours, and Cornetto Soft (soft ice cream that comes in chocolate chip, cookie dough, vanilla, chocolate, and double chocolate). Cornetto Soft is sold on the street by vendors and is made on the spot with an ice cream dispenser, but the other flavours are pre-made and are factory packaged. There is also cornetto enigma, which consists of the flavours cookies and cream, raspberry and double chocolate.

Unilever introduced a Cornetto chocolate confectionery into the UK market in 2013, following a licensing deal with Kinnerton Confectionery.[3]

Branding and packaging

Having an identity that hadn't significantly changed since its launch over 50 years ago, the decision was taken to create a totally new logo. This task was undertaken by Carter Wong Design, London (having created the Unilever Icecream Heartbrand identity in 1996) their brief being to create a new logo that would 'own the cone'. Their solution was based on creating a logotype which echoes the cone shape. This logo then played a leading role on the new packaging which was implemented for the global relaunch in 2011.

Advertising campaigns

The brand was marketed in the United Kingdom and Ireland by a successful advertising campaign which placed the Neapolitan song O Sole Mio into a variety of stereotypical Italian locations and situations, with its lyrics changed to:[2]

Just one Cornetto,
give it to me,
delicious ice-cream, of Italy,
creamy vanilla and choco dream,
Give me Cornetto,
from Wall's ice cream.

The adverts ran for ten years during the 1980s and 1990s, with the song supposedly sung by former Italian waiter Renato Pagliari of one-hit wonders Renée and Renato.[4] (However, this is claimed not to be the case by Pagliari's son, Remo.[5])

The advert theme resurfaced in 2006, this time sung by pedestrians, drivers, office workers and marathon runners in Central London. To a sizeable number of British consumers, the advert's alternative lyrics are more familiar than the original.[cite]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Hindustan Unilever told to erase 'Ice Cream' word from Kwality Walls advertisements". The Times Of India. 2 August 2012. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Cornetto Unilever page
  3. ↑ http://www.confectionerynews.com/Manufacturers/Unilever-enters-UK-confectionery-market-with-Kinnerton-licensing-deal
  4. ↑ "Save Your Love singer Renato dies". BBC News. 5 August 2009. Retrieved 5 August 2009.
  5. ↑ J Newton (10 August 2009). "Tributes to Renato – a singing sensation". This Is Sutton Coldfield. Retrieved 12 September 2010.