CANNES, France — Magnum Ice Cream made waves at the Cannes Film Festival with a bold new campaign, “Crack into Pleasure,” targeting Gen Z with a high-energy blend of music, influencers, and customizable indulgence.
This year’s global summer push was headlined by pop icon Charli XCX, who hosted an exclusive beach party attended by 300 influencers and fans, transforming the Croisette into an immersive ice cream experience. The event marked a strategic shift for the brand, positioning Magnum as a symbol of “adult pleasures” — redefined for a generation fluent in content, community, and self-expression.
“Gen Z was born into a world of abundance… you need to actually customize yourself into their attention span,” said Tugce Aksoy, Magnum’s global brand director, during the Brand Innovators Entertainment Marketing Summit at Cannes.
The pop-up activation featured everything from pistachio matcha milkshakes in Charli’s signature green to the Magnum Bakery, where guests could savor croissant ice cream sandwiches. Influencers were encouraged to create and remix content live, flipping the traditional brand-celebrity relationship on its head.
“We’ve never handed that level of creative control over before,” Aksoy admitted, but noted that Charli was the perfect partner to bridge the gap between indulgence and individuality.
The campaign stems from research done with agency Golin, using AI to analyze grocery store reviews. One key insight? It’s the iconic chocolate “crack” that sparks emotional attachment in consumers — a sensory cue now amplified across social, earned media, and live experiences.
The “Crack into Pleasure” initiative will roll out globally throughout the year, blending digital culture with Magnum’s luxurious identity. As Aksoy put it, “We’re not just selling ice cream — we’re giving people the creative keys to pleasure.”
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