In the spotlight:
"Nothing Cracks Like Magnum: Turning Sound into the Loudest Proof of Quality"
2025 Gold & Silver Effie Winner
Effie is about awarding ideas that work, educating about effective marketing and showcasing the best work to enhance learning in our industry.
CAMPAIGN NAME
Nothing Cracks Like Magnum: Turning Sound into the Loudest Proof of Quality
CATEGORY
Multi-Market: Media Strategy & Idea, Multi-Market: Food & Beverage
CLIENT
Magnum Ice Cream Company
LEAD AGENCY
LOLA MullenLowe
CONTRIBUTING AGENCY
Mindshare Worldwide
CAMPAIGN DESCRIPTION
Nothing Cracks Like Magnum turned the brand’s iconic chocolate “crack” into the ultimate proof of its superior quality. At a time when rising cocoa prices were pushing competitors towards cheaper alternatives, Magnum chose not to compromise. Instead, the campaign made its unmistakable sound the hero, dramatizing the reactions triggered by every bite. A sound-first media strategy brought the idea to life across film, social, cinema, radio and OOH, including innovative activations that synchronized the crack with people passing by.
THE CHALLENGE
Since 1989, Magnum has built its premium positioning around uncompromising indulgence and its signature thick, cracking chocolate. But soaring cocoa prices - up 440% in five years - put this promise under increasing pressure.
At the same time, the cost-of-living crisis was driving consumers towards cheaper private-label alternatives and Magnum “lookalikes.” While competitors responded by reducing chocolate content or switching to cheaper compounds, Magnum refused to compromise on its original recipe. Maintaining that quality meant higher costs and rising prices, making it harder to justify Magnum’s premium.
The impact was already visible, with penetration declining significantly in key markets, particularly the UK.
Magnum therefore needed to remind consumers what makes its chocolate different, and why that difference is worth paying more for.
STRATEGIC APPROACH AND EXECUTION
Magnum transformed its iconic “crack” from a distinctive brand asset into an unmistakable proof of chocolate quality. Rather than explaining ingredients or craftsmanship, the strategy focused on something consumers already knew and loved: the sound and sensation of the first bite.
Nothing Cracks Like Magnum brought this idea to life by exaggerating the reactions caused by the irresistibly loud crack of its thick chocolate. The media strategy was built around owning a “Share of Sound,” prioritising sound-on environments across film, cinema, social, audio and DOOH.
Innovative executions made the crack impossible to ignore, from spatial audio and ASMR content to DOOH screens with built-in speakers.
The campaign’s standout activation synchronized radio ads with digital OOH, so drivers heard Magnum’s crack at the exact moment they passed the corresponding billboard.
Across every touchpoint, one sensory experience communicated the same message: nothing cracks like Magnum.
Clear evidence of success:
- Exceeded every core business, marketing and brand objective
- Reversed Magnum’s penetration decline in the UK
- Delivered the highest March market share in 3 years in the UK and 5 years in the Netherlands
- Strengthened Brand Power while increasing consumers’ perception of Magnum’s worth
RESULTS
- +28.3% Total Sales increased in the UK& +21.7% delivering the best march market share in years.
- +290bps penetration in the UK +150bps in Netherlands.
- +80bps brand power in the UK & +30bps in Netherlands.
- +3.3 p.p. Perceived Worth Index in the UK,+4 p.p. Perceived Worth Index in the Netherlands vs. Q4 2024
- +16% spontaneous brand awareness from the OOH & Radio activation
- +34% brand favourability
- +17% purchase intent
WHY A GOLD & SILVER EFFIE? Here's what the jurors said.
