Ice Cream, Sex, and HBO a Perfect Partnership

Driving new electricity into a food brand is a tough full-time job, harder than most people think, even harder to do consistently. Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions® believes that 16 Handles, a New Yor City iconic soft serve brand is off to a very good start with a partnership that is sure to garner incremental business, buzz, and benefit.  

So, when 16 Handles, New York City’s iconic soft serve brand, announced a new partnership with HBO Max’s The Sex Lives of College Girls, a new Max Original series streaming November 18 on HBO Max is there anyone in the world that did not think this was the best marketing ideation of 2021?

Just think about it, Soft Serve, HBO MAX, College Girls Sex Lives. Gen Z, Millennials, clearly the target market will watch the show, think Soft Serve and clearly think 16 Handles. When you consider the reach of HBO MAX the value for the 16 Handles brand will clearly fined new electricity.  

16 Handles launched on November 4^th, The All Nighter Cold Brew Gelato at the brand's 29 storefronts in NY, NJ, and CT. The new soft-serve gelato flavor is made with real cold brew, and it makes the perfect watch-party dessert. OK, yes made with real cold brew, once again does anyone think this will not be a hit with Gen Z and Millennials?

So, The Sex Lives of College Girls is a new comedy series that follows four college roommates as they arrive at New England's prestigious Essex College. The girls are equal parts lovable and infuriating as they live out their new, free lives on campus.

Says 16 Handles CEO Solomon Choi; “We know our guests will be excited about this new series from HBO Max, and The All Nighter Cold Brew Gelato is the perfect flavor to celebrate the upcoming premiere.”

Yet there is more, in addition to the new flavor, 16 Handles will be hosting the #CollegeSwirlsSweepstakes, Fans can enter via social media for a chance to win a 16 Handles gift card and The Sex Lives of College Girls Watch Party Prize Pack. The #CollegeSwirlsSweepstakes is open and The All Nighter Cold Brew Gelato is available throughout the limited-time partnership: November 4 to December 9.

How are you driving new brand electricity? According to Johnson, “Brand relevance is in part driven with innovation in new food products in combination with new avenues of distribution all of which are the platform for the new electricity.”  That said, what are you waiting for?

Johnson stated “that in my minds-eye the new electricity must be very efficient for the supply and includes such things as fresh foods, developing brands, unique urban clothing, grocerant positioning, fresh food messaging, autonomous delivery, cashier-less retail, plates, glasses, cash-less payments, digital hand-held marketing.

All retailers to survive the next generation of retail must embrace the artificial intelligence revolution while simultaneously embracing fresh food that is portable, fresh, with differentiation that is familiar not different. 

In case you did not know, 16 Handles opened its first store in Manhattan’s East Village in 2008, becoming the first self-serve frozen yogurt shop in New York City. Since then, the brand has expanded to over 30 locations with a menu that includes frozen yogurt, ice cream, vegan soft serve, endless toppings, drinks, and other treats & snacks. Each shop's full menu is available in store and via the 16 Handles app. In addition to creating irresistible desserts, 16 Handles works closely with local and national organizations in partnerships and fundraisers, including Trees for the Future, which focuses on environmental sustainability.

Looking for success clues of your own? Foodservice Solutions® specializes in outsourced food marketing and business development ideations. We can help you identify, quantify and qualify additional food retail segment opportunities, technology, or a new menu product segment.  Foodservice Solutions® of Tacoma WA is the global leader in the Grocerant niche visit us on our social media sites by clicking one of the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter