Cornetto (frozen dessert)

Italian brand of ice cream

Cornetto

Product type| Ice cream
Owner| Unilever
Country| Italy
Introduced| 1959; 66 years ago (1959)
Markets| Worldwide
Website| www.unilever.co.uk/brands/foods-refreshment/cornetto/

Cornetto (Italian: [korˈnetto]; 'little horn')[1] is an Italian brand of ice cream cone dessert, which is manufactured and owned by the British-Dutch company Unilever. Cornetto are sold as part of the Heartbrand product line, known internationally by different names, including Algida in Italy, Wall's in the UK and Pakistan, HB in the Republic of Ireland,[2] Frigo in Spain,[3] and Kwality Wall's in India. Many variations of the product exist, ranging from milk-based ice cream to vegetable fat-based dessert.[4]

## History

[edit]

For a long time, the idea of selling frozen ice cream cones had been impractical, as the ice cream would soak into the moist cone during the manufacturing process and make it soggy and unpalatable when served.[citation needed] In 1959, Spica,[5] an Italian ice cream manufacturer based in Naples, overcame this problem by insulating the inside of the waffle cone from the ice cream with a coating of oil, sugar, and chocolate.

In 1976, the patent was acquired by Unilever, which began marketing the product in Italy through the Algida brand and abroad through other subsidiaries, including Wall's in the UK and Pakistan, HB in Ireland, Frigo in Spain and Kwality Wall's in India. They are sold in many different sizes throughout Europe in sizes ranging from 28-ml Miniatures to 260-ml King Cones, though the 90-ml and 125-ml sizes tend to be the most popular.[citation needed]

On March 19, 2024, Unilever announced it would divest its ice cream brands and cut 7,500 jobs in order to make "a simpler, more focused and higher performing Unilever". Included in the spin-off are Ben & Jerry's, Cornetto, Magnum, Talenti, and Wall's. The divestment is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.[6]

## Varieties

[edit]

The product is available in a variety of flavours, including Strawberry, Mint Chocolate, Nut, Lemon, Whippy (yogurt flavour with a chewy chocolate), Valentine's Day flavours, and Cornetto Soft (soft ice cream that comes in chocolate chip, cookie dough,royale strawberry, unicornetto, dragon cornetto, vanilla, chocolate, royale chocolate and double chocolate). Cornetto Soft is sold on the street by vendors and is made on the spot with an ice cream dispenser, but the other flavours are premade and factory packaged. Also, Cornetto Enigma is made, which consists of cookies and cream, raspberry and double chocolate flavours.[citation needed]

Unilever introduced a Cornetto chocolate confectionery into the UK market in 2013, following a licensing deal with Kinnerton Confectionery.[7]

Hindustan Unilever manufacture Cornettos using vegetable fat rather than milk fat, and under Indian law it cannot be advertised as being ice cream.[4]

## Advertising campaigns

[edit]

### 'O sole mio campaign

[edit]

The brand was marketed in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Brazil by successful advertising campaigns which placed the Neapolitan song "'O sole mio" into a variety of stereotypical Italian locations and situations, with its lyrics changed to:

Just one Cornetto,
give it to me,
delicious ice cream, of Italy,
creamy vanilla and choco dream,
Give me Cornetto,
from Wall's ice cream.

(in the UK)[5]

give it to me,
a big ol' nut and chocolate dream,
HB Cornetto
spells the best ice cream.

(in Ireland)

Dame un Cornetto
Molto crocante
E più cremoso
É da Gelato.
Cornetto é da própria Itália.
Ti voglio tanto,
Corneeeeetto mio!

(in Brazil)

In Britain and Ireland, the advertisements ran for 10 years during the 1980s and 1990s, with the song supposedly sung by former Italian waiter Renato Pagliari of one-hit wonders Renée and Renato.[8] (However, this is claimed not to be the case by Pagliari's son, Remo.[9]) It was credited to "Count Giovanni Di Regina" and produced by Jonathan King, who released it as a single.[10] In 2000, the Wall's Cornetto commercial was ranked 23rd in Channel 4's UK poll of "The 100 Greatest TV Ads".[11] The theme resurfaced in 2006, this time sung by pedestrians, drivers, office workers, and marathon runners in Central London.[12]

### Philippines 20 pesos campaign

[edit]

In the Philippines, the "sarap ng 20 Pesos" (lit. 'delicious 20 pesos') campaign was launched in 2009, relying on humour and focused on the product's affordability, with skits that centre on things one cannot afford with 20 pesos and suggesting that the audience should buy a Cornetto instead. "Mag-Cornetto ka na lang" (lit. 'Just have a Cornetto instead') and "Hanggang saan aabot ang 20 pesos mo?" (lit. 'How far will your 20 pesos take you?') were used as slogans for the campaign. By May 2011, 30 story-lines had been produced.[13] In 2019, the SRP price of Cornetto became 25 pesos. However, in 2023, this was reverted to 20 pesos again.[14]

The television advertisement entitled "Tugs", which is part of the campaign, was selected as the Adobo Ad of the Year for 2010 through online voting at the ad agency band night "Lakihan Mo Logo 14".[15]

## In popular culture

[edit]

* The ice cream is referenced in the films Shaun of the Dead (2005), Hot Fuzz (2007) and The World’s End (2013); the three films are together known as the Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy.[16]
* The ice cream is referenced by Irish band Bell X1 in their 2009 single The Great Defector.[17]

## See also

[edit]

* Streets – Australian brand
* Drumstick & Extreme – competitors by Nestlé
* Nutty Buddy – competitor formerly by Sweetheart Foods
* Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy – a trilogy of films directed by Edgar Wright that briefly features the ice cream

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Wach, Bonnie (22 June 2016). "One Day, One Place: Eat up Rome during tourist season". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on 20 December 2019. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
2. ^ "Share Happy". HB Ice Cream. Archived from the original on 28 September 2015. Retrieved 30 July 2015.
3. ^ "Comparte Felicidad". Frigo. Archived from the original on 28 September 2015. Retrieved 30 July 2015.
4. ^ a b "Hindustan Unilever told to erase 'Ice Cream' word from Kwality Walls advertisements". The Times Of India. 2 August 2012. Archived from the original on 25 August 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
5. ^ a b "Cornetto". Archived from the original on 8 January 2016. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
6. ^ Karaian, Jason (19 March 2024). "Unilever to Cut 7,500 Jobs and Spin Off Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Unit". New York Times. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
7. ^ ConfectioneryNews.com (3 April 2013). "Unilever enters UK confectionery market with Kinnerton licensing deal". Archived from the original on 7 November 2016. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
8. ^ "Save Your Love singer Renato dies". BBC News. 5 August 2009. Archived from the original on 7 December 2020. Retrieved 5 August 2009.
9. ^ Newton, J (10 August 2009). "Tributes to Renato – a singing sensation". This Is Sutton Coldfield. Archived from the original on 13 September 2012. Retrieved 12 September 2010.
10. ^ Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 26 August 1978. p. 96.
11. ^ "The 100 Greatest TV Ads". London: Channel 4. 2000. Archived from the original on 18 June 2001. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
12. ^ Woods, Sarah (12 May 2006). "Just one Cornetto is the UK's most memorable ad jingle". www.campaignlive.co.uk. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
13. ^ Pe, Roger (26 May 2016). "A very likable ice cream TV commercial". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
14. ^ Malasig, Jeline (10 October 2023). "Cornetto is P20 again, but Pinoys ask if there's a catch". Interaksyon. Archived from the original on 3 January 2024. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
15. ^ "Lowe Philippines' popular "Tugs" TVC for Selecta Cornetto hailed as adobo Ad of the Year 2010". Adobo Magazine. Sanserif, Inc. 3 June 2010. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
16. ^ "Hot Fuzz duo confirm third movie". BBC News. 3 April 2008. Archived from the original on 30 July 2012. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
17. ^ "The Great Defector". genius.com. Retrieved 5 June 2024.

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