An ice cream sampling campaign always goes down a treat, especially when the treats are free! But as a forward-thinking brand, you’ll naturally have the question...
Which ice cream samples will resonate the most with our audience?
Read on to discover the options, and see how we can help with artisan creations. If you haven’t already, visit our guide to ice cream van hire for everything you need to know about your promotional vehicle.
The following are true classics that fall under our ‘standard’ options, as they’re easier to source than artisan ice creams.
Mr. Whippy – The timeless soft-serve vanilla ice cream. Instantly recognisable, quick to serve and ideal if you want a campaign that conjures fond memories. While vanilla is the standard, we can provide other flavours as part of a more custom service.
Soft scoop – With vanilla, strawberry and chocolate flavours available, everyone gets their favourite! Hand out single scoops or mix and match for the full tasting experience. A real people-pleaser, soft scoop ice cream samples are perfect for summer activations.
Toppings – Coloured sprinkles and chocolate Flakes can make any ice cream sampling event a bit more special. While standard sprinkles don’t come in bespoke shades, they can be provided in specific colours to suit your brand.
Cones & tubs – Serve your ice cream samples with classic cones for delicious fun or choose 115 ml recyclable tubs, with 180ml and 220ml sizes available.
If you’d like a very simple treat like a Mr. Whippy or ice cream scoop, then we typically charge between 90p and £1.70 a serving. Note, the minimum order for any kind of ice cream activation is 300 units.
Sundries like tubs, wafers, napkins and wet wipes can all feature your logo, and they’ll do a wonderful job of advertising your brand.
Branded tubs are a popular upgrade, as they can hold Mr. Whippy, soft scoop ice creams and all manner of artisan flavours. All sundries can be branded with enough time.
Price is affected by the size and volume of your items being branded, but the biggest outlay comes from the time we spend getting everything right for your campaign.
Want something more unique than your standard scoop? We can:
Work with your supplier – If you already have a company you trust, we can liaise with them on everything from flavour to visual style. We can also make sure everyone’s on the same page and that your ice creams are delivered on time, in the correct quantity, and to the budget agreed.
Create unique recipes – Got a bespoke idea in mind? We can develop a flavour that looks the part and engages the senses. We’ll test the recipe at various stages before rolling it out – all for a wondrous flavour you won’t find elsewhere.
Produce alternative options – Ice cream sampling can be every bit as inclusive as you want it to be. With special recipes for vegans, plus gluten or fat-free options, your campaign can accommodate people from all walks of life, with various dietary needs.
Remove the stress for you – Focus your time elsewhere by letting us handle everything for you. Our team has a vast network, ensuring we’re able to manage it all; from sourcing ingredients to fully branding and delivering your samples, ready for the live date.
The streaming giant wanted a custom treat to promote its TV adaptation over a 5-week tour. Aside from the branded ice cream van with 3D chains and an oversized medallion, we also crafted a bespoke ‘Mr. Witchy’ soft serve ice cream. It featured a black cone, white candy floss, a logo wafer, and red strawberry sauce to finish the look.
Learn more about the Mr. Witchy ice cream campaign here.
Other campaigns include the Stranger Things van, with its retro flavours like Coke float and banana boat, and the Rentokil van with its creepy candied bug ice cream!
If ice cream doesn’t quite fit your brand, then ice lollies could be a great alternative. Always refreshing in the summer heat, they’re popular because they’re easy to hold and come in a range of delicious flavours.
You can either supply pre-packaged lollies (some clients go the Costco route), or we can provide lollies with branded wrappers or even branded lolly sticks!
One of our clients gave out 20,000 branded ice lollies from a custom Airstream just in time for summer, so no order is either too large or complex.
Lead times depend on what you’re after. So, if you just want unbranded tubs or cones for Mr. Whippy ice creams, these can be sourced quickly. Branded items take much longer, however, with lead times of at least 4 weeks. We can also create thousands of ice lollies, but we’ll need plenty of notice to make them for you.
We can accommodate any weird and wonderful creation (even bespoke ice cream like rum-infused vanilla) if you let us know at the time of your booking. Secure your van early so we can then arrange the important details like flavours and branding.
Your ice cream samples must be stored and delivered at the right temperature, otherwise your whole campaign will melt the moment you hit the road.
With enough notice, we can store everything safely until the day you go live. We can then send stock in your ice cream van and deliver the rest at intervals via support vehicle.
Our support vehicle has freezer units to ensure your product’s safe until you’re ready to hand them out. See our sampling and fulfilment guide for more details.
Not all locations are equal, and you can’t just park up and start handing out ice creams. Instead, venues must accommodate your vehicle and target audience!
We’ve made a list of the top sampling spots based on experience. If you still need help, we can recommend the best locations, research venues and book them for you.
Get the scoop on which locations could be perfect fit for your brand!