The ice-cream maker is planning to repackage the range under the labels of Lust, Sloth, Greed, Gluttony, Envy, Revenge and Vanity. Each variation will be given the description most appropriate to it; for instance, Sloth will be a heavy, caramelly ice-cream.
The first two flavours, Sloth and Lust, will launch in February, and be available until stocks run out, around April or May.
Unilever will then release the next two lines, followed by another two in the summer. The last flavour will be unveiled later in the year and be sold alongside the most popular of the first six.
The ice-creams will be sold singly in impulse cabinets, and in six-packs, with three of each flavour, in supermarkets.
Unilever is planning to back Seven Sins with a massive TV and cinema campaign, created by McCann-Erickson and filmed in Rome. The first execution, due to break in March, will launch the concept and promote all seven sinful variants, followed by a different spot as each new flavour is released.Various in-store and on-pack promotions will also support the campaign throughout the year.
Unilever relaunched the Magnum brand under the seven deadly sins banner in Australia last year, and Universal McCann Sydney won the Grand Prix at the Media Lions for the supporting media campaign.
The Australian Seven Sins campaign, which included TV spots in Sex and the City and Friends, claimed to have achieved sales 400% above Magnum's target.
Between 1999 and 2001, Unilever's Wall's recorded a fall in market share of 6% and an estimated fall in sales of 24.9%, according to figures from Mintel.
The UK creative strategy for Magnum targets successful, empowered women, by suggesting that 'sinning' is not a negative, but a means of indulging themselves.
One source close to the brand said: "We will counter the idea that good girls only eat lettuce and go to the gym six days a week."
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