31-01-2025
Why marketing magic has made Graeter's Skyline ice cream the talk of the town
The Graeter's ice cream and Skyline chili pairing has this community on fire, chatting and tasting and reporting through every available channel. What's going on?
Today's consumer is inundated with product messages from every direction. The competition for eyeballs, interest and trial/purchase is fierce. Breaking through is every brand and marketer's dream.
And, breaking through can happen because it is intuitive ('That makes a ton of sense. I'm in.') or counter-intuitive ('Huh? I want and need to learn more?')
Brands like to create unique experiences for their consumers. Ideally, these experiences tap into shared brand values to expand audience reach. Yes, it's the age old: 1 + 1= 3.
These two Cincinnati brand favorites seem to have found marketing magic. Everyone is talking about the pairing, as odd as it may seem at first to many. Those discussions range from 'What a great partnership; I just gotta try it,' to, 'Nope, not for me. Well, maybe, I'll try it.'
More: Travis Kelce says there's no chance he'll try 'disgusting' Graeter's Skyline Chili flavor
Is something new happening here or is this just the latest example of a brand pairing that succeeds at expanding each product's market share? It's the latter.
Let's look at some other odd pairings that, whether intuitively or counterintuitively, also have worked:
Sweet treats and soda: A natural pairing, Peeps & Pepsi teamed-up in 2021 to create a limited-run of Peeps-flavored soda. They brought it back in 2023 for a nationwide limited run.
Extreme sports and energy drinks: GoPro and Red Bull joined nearly three decades ago to jump-start the extreme sports lifestyle. 'Red Bull Gives You Wings' was introduced in the late '90s and inspired enthusiasts to push cringe-worthy boundaries. What started as an odd pair seems to have morphed into an obvious or intuitive collaboration.
Skincare and processed meats: In 2022, Oscar Meyer teamed up with Seoul Mamas, a Korean skincare company, to create a bologna-themed, moisturizing face mask. It sold out in hours. Seriously.
Unexpected pair: Snoop and Martha have joined to promote various brands and products to increase audience share. Stewart's elegance, with a hint of bad girl, and Snoop's laid-back, American rapper persona, have come together to promote many consumer products. In a stroke of marketing genius, they were the darling couple of 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Good Girl – Bad Boy: From literature to movies, this uncommon and, maybe, counter-intuitive coupling, never disappoints. The Taylor Swift – Travis Kelsey relationship, with her history-making Eras Tour and his equally historic run for a Super Bowl three-peat, has dramatically increased female viewership of NFL games and resulted in a 400% increase in the sale of Travis Kelsey jerseys.
In the world of marketing and brand-building, there's nothing new about well-played collaborations, whether built on commonality or a natural urge to cover your eyes and peek through your fingers at the scary movie. They work to build brands and audience share.
How to get your hands on the treat: Where is Graeter's Skyline Chili ice cream being sold?
'Skyline Spice Ice Cream,' teased out last year on social media, is now being sold online nationwide, at Skyline restaurants, in Graeter's scoop shops and by the pint at select Kroger stores. Skyline and Graeter's seemed to have nailed this relationship which even they referred to as 'wacky-yet-wonderful.' Good for them.
As for me, I'm a traditionalist and am still peeking through my fingers at this one. A native Cincinnatian, I love Skyline and I love Graeter's. Up until now, I've loved eating them one right after the other. I suspect, though, that I'll be trying this unlikely combo soon, just like everyone else.
Nick Vehr is the founder and CEO of Vehr Communications, a Cincinnati-based marketing and public relations firm. A lifetime Cincinnatian, Skyline is his go-to for a quick, casual lunch and pints of various Graeter's flavors fill his freezer.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Explaining unusual food mashups like Skyline and Graeter's ice cream
