Launching a fashionably fashionista dessert: Kapiti White Chocolate and Raspberry

In 2010 we established Kapiti Ice-cream firmly in the ‘fashionistas’ mind as the dessert of choice. With the launch of Kapiti White Chocolate and Raspberry we wanted to build on that success and reinforce Kapiti as the ideal style partner.

Centring on a partnership with local designer Michelle Yvette and other notable influencers, we wanted to reach our target audience through media coverage and experiential engagement in the right place at the right time.

Partnering with the fashion events of the year – NZ Fashion Week, and the public-centric NZ Fashion Weekend, Kapiti debuted at NZFW 2010. Attendees were invited to relax in the lavish Kapiti Indulgence area – sampling servings to the 12,000 fashionable attendees.  The sampling left a lasting impression and received coverage as one of the best perks at NZFW 2010.

Following the successful launch, PN followed up with a ‘celebration of contrasts’ social media and interactive online campaign with FrontRowDiary.com (NZ’s leading youth fashion portal) with a total reach of over 250,000.  Building on this success, we secured rave product reviews on ZM’s ‘Girls Locker Room’ segment, and subsequently secured nearly $60,000 of additional coverage in media by profiling stylist Kylie Cooke, brainchild of the Kapiti ‘Celebration of Contrasts’ TVC campaign, to promote Kapiti’s celebration of style nature with interviews on the campaign and a set of ‘Kapiti Styling Tips’. 

Overall the Kapiti White Chocolate and Raspberry launch reached more than 1,000,000 New Zealanders, with the product reaching 4th place overall in nationwide sales for novelty ice-cream on a stick, beating all competitor products.

Porter Novelli team: Louise Wright, Joanna Macfarlane, Will Seal