Taiwan sells world-first 'Mercedes-Benz ice cream'
Staff Reporter
2014-09-03
Taiwanese celebrity Yao Yao promotes "Mercedes-Benz ice cream" at the showroom in Taipei's Xinyi district on Aug. 30, 2014. (Photo/Wang Chueh-wei)
Taiwan has become the first country in the world to sell "Mercedes-Benz ice cream," reports our Chinese-language sister paper Want Daily.
Daimler AG, the German multinational automotive company that owns Mercedes-Benz, shelled out NT$2 million (US$67,000) to team up with Taiwanese ice cream maker 8%ice to produce custom-made soft serve as part of a campaign promoting its Smart car brand.
The store, in Taipei's lively Xinyi district, sold 2,000 soft serves on its very first day last Friday and more than 5,000 on Monday, with customers lining up for at least 10 minutes to get their hands on a cone. Two Smart cars were also sold during this period.
The Mercedes-Benz ice cream resembles soft serves sold at convenience stores around Taiwan, but is priced at NT$100 (US$3.35), nearly triple the regular cost. The unique flavors of the ice creams, designed to match the Smart car colors, have also been used to justify the premium charge.
For the orange and black Smart Fortwo Brabus Knightblaze, the matching flavor is cantaloupe and black sesame, while for the white and purple Smart Fortwo Nightpurple the matching flavor is banana and blueberry.
"Taiwanese people seem to be afraid of the heat," said Andy Stockhecke, vice president of sales and marketing for Mercedes-Benz in Taiwan, adding that just about every person he sees on the street these days is carrying an ice cream in their hand.
Despite its success, the campaign will only run for about a month, Stockhecke said, though he is now considering using the same promotional technique in other markets.
