THE PLEASURE PRINCIPLE

If you’ve ever felt guilty about digging into a pint of ice cream, the Wolf Group’s new campaign for H…agen-Dazs may help you relieve your anxiety.
The New York agency’s print effort, the first for Ice Cream Partners USA, a result of last year’s joint venture between H…agen-Dazs and Nestle, shows that indulging in the desserts is fun.
In one ad, a man longingly opens a pint of dulce de leche ice cream to copy reading, “Thank God she’s late.” Another shows a woman in a bathrobe licking her fingers over a pint of butter pecan; the copy reads, “God bless business travel.” The new tagline is, “Too much pleasure?” The prior tag for H…agen-Dazs, San Ramon, Calif., was, “It’s just perfect.”
Mike Rogers, agency president and creative director, said the tagline was changed because after receiving consumer feedback, it was apparent that “nothing’s just perfect.” He added, “With pleasure, there’s a little bit of guilt or sinfulness.”
The ads also introduce new packaging for the brand. They break this month in magazines including Martha Stewart Weddings, Out and Ebony.
–Simon Butle