The Monkeys and Maud invest in the icecream industry with the purchase of Homer Hudson

Justin Drape, Mark Green, Scott Nowell, Fabio Buresti and David Park of independent advertising agency The Monkeys and leading design company Maud are the new owners of Homer Hudson.

When Homer Hudson ice cream was launched into the Neapolitan-loving Australian market place in the late 80s, it shook up the whole industry. In 2015 the ice cream icon is set to do it again with a unique range of new flavours, and new ownership.

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Says Justin Drape, creative director, The Monkeys: “We have a simple plan. We find out what people want. Then give them double. It’s about providing a decadent ice cream experience and going all in.

“Owning Homer Hudson means we get to reinvent an iconic and well loved brand, developing everything from the ice cream recipes to the tub design and all forms of communication. We also get to create interesting collaborations.”

The first of which is the limited edition art on every tub conceived by renowned British artist, Serge Seidlitz who bought each flavour name to life with a colourful pop culture diorama.

Says Drape: “We want every tub to tell a story that people enjoy as much as the ice cream and we are currently developing a platform that will allow consumers to interact with the characters on each tub and enjoy one part of a larger narrative.”

Aside from the artwork, everything else for Homer Hudson has been created in-house at The Monkeys and Maud including design, illustration, packaging, consumer website, B2B trade website and distribution and e-commerce systems, posters, POS and continued NPD.

With The Monkeys expanding into FMCG product development and ownership, the agency has essentially become its own client.

Says Drape: “True. We thought about appointing a procurement company to put the Homer Hudson account out to pitch but then we had a chemistry session with our own agency and everything just clicked.

“It has given us a deeper understanding of what our clients go through. Because most weeks we’re now dealing with dessert chefs, licensees, suppliers and retailers. There’s a lot to learn, but there’s also a lot of opportunity to introduce fresh thinking into a traditional process, and a traditionally lacklustre category.”

So what happens when some of the finest advertising minds in the country get their hands on the wheel of an iconic ice cream brand?

Says Mark Green, CEO, The Monkeys: “This move is designed to open up new revenue and commercial opportunities for The Monkeys and Maud. If we can pull this off we can partner other clients in new ventures and actually contribute with skin in the game. We might be wrong but whilst the industry cries about falling margins little is being done to move upstream and offer clients something different.”

When the first Homer Hudson was launched in the 80s, its advertising was a hit. The lo-fi TV ads, with their “Dragnet” style voice over, promised ice cream honesty and big chunks. “Hi Homer” became something of a conversational catchphrase.

As Homer Hudson is relaunched around the country, The Monkeys have planned a social marketing campaign that will put Homer Hudson back into the hearts and minds of every ice cream lover in the country.

Homer ice cream recipes slam together chewy, gooey, crunchy, creamy and even explosive ingredients. Take a look at its Super Bowl flavour, it has everything from chocolate and vanilla ice cream, peanut butter to double cookie dough and Rocky Road, jellies, pop rock candy and then some.

On the other hand, there’s the simplicity of Prom Queen Dream vanilla. Just a handful of ingredients, all premium quality so it delivers “a vanilla slow dance for your mouth”.

Says Drape: “We could have compromised the quality of ice cream and inclusions to reduce cost and open up our margins. But when we say Homer Hudson is the best damn ice cream in the world, we want to believe it, and we want people to believe it.”

The ice cream is being made at Bulla Dairy in Melbourne.

Says Green: “We like that Bulla is Australian owned and run, that it’s hugely successful in a very competitive market and that they’re supportive and excited about what we’re doing. They also embrace the Homer Hudson philosophy and are willing to try things that have never been done in this category before.”

Says Nick Hickford, general manager – sales marketing and innovation: “As leaders in the Australian Dairy market, Bulla has enjoyed the opportunity to work with The Monkeys and Maud to bring Homer Hudson back to life. Adding another dimension to the portfolio of Bulla products, we are determined to re-define the super premium ice cream category with a product that will set a new standard in this category.”

Homer Hudson is launching into the Australian market in early March and will be available in 800 Woolworths stores nationally. There are also rumours of even more indulgent flavours in the super premium pipeline, which Drape won’t confirm or deny. But he does have a word of caution for the ice cream lovers who’ll grab those early tubs of Homer.

Says Drape: “Eat this ice cream responsibly.”