Guilherme Moraes, the company’s marketing manager, tells how the brand created a laboratory to show the production of ice cream
Kibon turned 80 years old and decided to show its fans how ice cream is produced, at the Super Laboratory of Delights, in a series of videos on the brand’s social networks. There are eight episodes released each week with the idea of reinforcing the characteristics and attributes of the “darlings” of consumers.
Guilherme Moraes, the company’s marketing manager, says in the following interview that the films were designed based on insights from tests and real research by Unilever teams. He states that the project was created under language and format for digital channels.
Why did Kibon choose the video series strategy to celebrate its 80th anniversary?
Kibon’s communication has always been light, relaxed and good-natured. Therefore, we understand that the best way to celebrate the brand’s 80th anniversary would be in the same way, drawing consumers closer and answering, in a fun and playful way, questions they have about our products. With this project, we want our audience to embark on the magical and delicious universe of Kibon, a brand that is synonymous with happiness. At the Super Laboratory of Delights, we combine scenes that show real consumption occasions with playful universes, bringing joy to people’s homes and unveiling the flavors and ingredients that made Kibon the market leader, loved by Brazilians.
Is this format better than traditional advertising like a movie or ad?
Kibon has a strategic ecosystem and 360º of communication. However, we understand that some content and messages are better suited and have a more positive and closer reaction from the public on specific channels, as is the case of the Super Laboratory of Delights project. In this case, the project was designed, from the beginning, under a language and format that better relate to our communication strategy in our digital channels.
The choice to create the campaign in the form of a series with eight episodes aimed to reinforce the communication strategy and keep our consumers interested in following the episodes, building a more solid and lasting relationship. We want to expand the points of contact and our relationship with the public, surprising the consumer with each new episode.
Does the brand believe in entertainment marketing?
We have seen a tendency to consume relevant branded content, which brings a lighter and more personal language. For this reason, we believe in an entertainment marketing model, with content that is at the service of consumers, their interests and their real needs.
People are really curious to know how products are made. Have you done research to detect this need?
Yes. We have a team dedicated to analyzing and understanding our consumer, as well as identifying their desires in general. This allows us to innovate with relevance, protagonism and authenticity in the category. Thus, the episodes of the series, although playful and very fun, were designed and produced based on real tests and research by the Research and Development, Nutrition, Legal, Marketing and Trade teams.
Why did Kibon choose social media to show the “house”?
Social networks are a great platform for visibility and often generate relevant conversations with the public. Kibon is always seeking to understand consumers and monitor their consumption and information habits. According to the Digital 2021 report, carried out by We Are Social and Hootsuite, there are 160 million internet users in Brazil and, of this number, 98.5% have smartphones. Therefore, being on social media is being in the palm of the consumer’s hand, at the source from which he consumes information and spends much of his day. In view of this reality and for being a democratic brand, which appeals to the most diverse consumer profiles, our desire was also that the content was democratic, reaching a large number of people. In addition, we decided that the content would be in the digital environment from its conception, so the content was already recorded from the beginning in the format of stories.
What are Kibon’s main ice creams?
Today Kibon is the largest and most beloved ice cream brand in the country, but our story began a long time ago, when the refrigerator was still a rare object in homes here. From the beach to the freezer at home, Kibon has played many roles in this long relationship with Brazilians. The brand now has a huge line of ice creams that have become classics for children and adults. Among the delights we have Chicabon, Tablito, Frutilly, Fruttare, Magnum and much more! In fact, we wouldn’t know how to choose the main SKUs, after all, each consumer has their favorite Kibon ice cream, but, in addition to the classics, we have constantly worked to offer innovative products that please and accompany our consumers’ lifestyle changes.
What’s new?
Last year, we announced the launch of Magnum Zero, the first ice cream with zero added sugar from Magnum, created by the brand for the Brazilian market, which reinforces Magnum’s chocolate expertise by bringing pleasure and flavor to any type of product – vegan, traditional or zero sugar. Another novelty is Deliciously Vegan, the first vegan product in Kibon’s portfolio. And, for this big launch, there was a specific work to create an ice cream dough, an old demand of vegans, that offered the traditional creaminess of Kibon pots without the use of dairy. That’s how we arrived at this disruptive product, with a surprising chocolate flavor with pieces of real hazelnuts, zero lactose and no animal ingredients, including the seal of the Brazilian Vegetarian Society (SVB).
What do these releases represent for the brand?
We have several other news appearing all the time in our portfolio. With 80 years of activity here in Brazil, we have a lot of history to tell, but these launches are very representative for us, as they reflect our objective of offering pleasant experiences and a complete portfolio for Brazilians, who are increasingly looking for a differentiated and unique ice cream. , reinforcing our growing concern with healthiness and sustainability.
Which brand ranks in the industry ranking?
In 2021, Kibon completed 80 years of operation in the country, being the first Brazilian industry in the segment, absolute market leader and the most remembered by consumers in Top Of Mind and in several other rankings. We constantly monitor the health of the brand together with research institutes and our priority is always to understand our market and consumers. We can say that Kibon continues to grow and is the leader in its segment.
Has the brand been impacted during the pandemic?
Like all sectors of the economy, the ice cream market was also affected. We saw the migration of consumption to the segment of ice cream in jars, since everyone was at home. And Brazilians’ choices were divided between the more democratic pots, such as the Kibon Napolitano 4 in 1, or more individualized consumption pots with more elaborate formulas, such as the Tablito pot or Magnum pot.
Has delivery grown like other food segments?
We have seen the delivery channel grow exponentially. From the moment consumers broke the barrier of ordering ice cream for delivery, we had a resumption of popsicle consumption as well, because consumers have the freedom to assemble their ice cream combo, choosing different products that meet different tastes. And, thinking about guaranteeing the best experience in this channel, Kibon developed a thermal packaging capable of ensuring the integrity of the ice cream throughout the journey, from the store to the consumer’s home.
Has digital service also gained reinforcement?
We have indeed reinforced our digital service models, with our Kibon app and the launch of our virtual assistant on WhatsApp, Kiki da Kibon. We were already on a transformation journey with the telesales team to help with the digital journey, and now we have improved our service models. The Kibon App has essential features for the customer to place their order autonomously. Now, with the gradual resumption of circulation and flexibility policies, we see the return of consumption of ice cream outside the home and the most chosen product, on these occasions, is the traditional ice cream on a stick (popsicle). And, as Kibon’s purpose is to build a happier and more inclusive world, whether via delivery or traditional purchases, we hope that our products can continue to bring happiness, even in the face of challenging scenarios.
What is the company’s outlook for this year?
As a brand, we are aware of the numerous challenges that our current situation presents, with the effects that we still feel from the pandemic and the new geopolitical challenges. However, we are confident about the prospects for the coming months, thanks to a scenario of resumption of socialization, which will pave the way for market growth. In addition, we have seen great acceptance from our consumers for our recent innovations and products that cater to a segment that prefers low-sugar and vegan products.
