TV and digital media for cool Nestlé Temptations

PASSIONATE LIFE EPICUREANS — this is what Kristia Somera-Requinto, Nestlé Ice Cream consumer marketing manager, calls the target market of the recently launched a television commercial of Nestlé Temptations, the premium ice cream brand of Nestlé Ice Cream in the Philippines. They are identified as those whose independence and income status allow them to pursue their varied interests. “The responsibilities they take on add pressure to their lives — that’s why they look for indulgences to bring them back to their center. The caveat for these experiences is that it should match their zeal for the finer things in life.”

What I like about the commercial is its near accusation that you may be choosing involvements in your life because you kind of force yourself to take everything in stride — and you just don’t want to take the risk of change. And this is exactly the dramatization used as the build-up to the selling message. The TVC advises women to stop settling and break up with the mediocre in their lives.

The 30-seconder is high-end glossy all the way, from the well-chosen talents, fashionable clothes, restaurant setting, and, of course, climaxing with the brand and product, Nestlé Temptations. The target market’s key response is my need for comfort food when I’m down and almost out — and the supreme choice is precisely and aptly called Temptations.

And from there, you gather your wits and get the courage to stand up and dump him. For goodness’ sake, your boyfriend should only have eyes for you when you’re out on a date with him. When he twists and turns to look at a girl who passes by and he shamelessly flirts back, you better identify that as a red flag signalling you to react! That’s rock solid evidence that he’ll be unfaithful!

Nestlé Temptations is currently a No. 2 player next to Unilever Selecta that targets the mainstream market. Kristia says, “As a challenger brand, we have been executing a switching strategy. Our campaign talks to women and encourages them to break up with their old ice cream.”

I laughed at Kristia’s leveraging on heartbreak as she convincingly claims that heartbreak is highly associated with ice cream. Congratulations to Nestlé Temptations for igniting the conversation by showing the positive side of breakups through this commercial, which is cleverly called “The Happiest Breakup.” I’m sure the marketing guys in the ice cream category will be pleased!

Nestlé Temptations is personified as a “pleasure purveyor” who is sensual, sophisticated and contemporary. Kristia unhesitatingly labels it as a premium ice cream product that “delivers generously intense indulgence, bringing you to an elated sense of bliss.” The core essence of the brand is all about “pushing the boundaries of pleasure.”

The material directly addresses the product’s being a challenger brand, thus pushing the selling message to switching to a new ice cream. I like the soft-sell buildup, making the target market first identify with the talent’s growing discontentment, then gaining courage and guts to do things that would emphasize her changing her mind — like cutting her hair and changing her Facebook status from “in a relationship” to “single.” Per Kristia, these were the most relatable scenes in the commercial.

She also revealed that Nestlé started out with a purely digital material on YouTube and Facebook, a much longer version “that really sparked conversation with consumers.” Working on the digital high street seems to be a media strategy frequently employed by brands prioritizing specific targets or socioeconomic classes, then, after a period of time, segueing to television. The material for TV is either an edit-down or a derivative. No doubt TV airtime is infinitely more expensive — but still, one cannot deny reaching a wider target market with great impact. Call the dual media combination today’s arms and legs for success.

Congratulations to the collaborative efforts of Nestlé Philippines and NuWorks Interactive with production house Armada.

Credits. Client-company, Nestlé Philippines: Nestlé Ice Cream. Nikki Dizon, Paolo Miguel Molina, Kristia Somera-Requinto, consumer marketing managers. Agency, NuWorks Interactive: Pat Bautista, business development manager; Carmi Castro, account manager; Erica Gomez, account executive; Lourdes Batac, associate strategy head; Sandy Sulit, creative officer; Jessie Aspiras, art director; Marga Constantino, copywriter, Carissa Vicencio, social media executive. Production house, Film Armada: Erin Pascual, director; Marijo Clauor; Barbie Leyba, broadcast producer; Theo Zaragosa, food stylist. Sound House, Loudbox Studios: Thyro Alfaro, composer.