Mejerigaarden and Gammeldags

Design: Mildberry
Project Type: Produced, Commercial Work
Client: Premier Is
Location: Denmark

Whenever you decide to visit Denmark, in any season, anywhere in the country you will definitely find a small kiosk or tent with an “Ice Cream” sign on it. Ice cream is a year-round treat for the Danes, and it is believed among marketers that Denmark is the birthplace of ice cream marketing.

Today in Denmark you can find classic frozen cream desserts and Italian gelato, as well as vegan, gluten-free, and other organic variations of ice cream, including the one produced of milk from Bornholm cows, and even liquid nitrogen infused ice cream. At the same time, the wealth of flavours fits in well with the variety of retail formats — here are traditional beach tents, and small takeaway kiosks, and classic gelaterias, and innovative spaces, such as ice cream “cryo labs”.

However, amidst this wide variety of producers, only two large companies for many years has retained leadership in the industry, owning a total of 51% of shares in the Danish ice cream market. One of them is Mildberry’s partner, Premier Is, which focuses mainly on domestic brands and represents the two oldest and most famous brands of premium ice cream in the region — Mejerigaarden and Gammeldags.

The booming market, the desire to bolster its leadership position and revitalise the company’s brands motivated Premier Is to invest in the brand strategy research and development, as a result of which the company decided to adjust its product portfolio, develop new branding and packaging designs.

Within the framework of the project, Premier Is has expanded the product range of Mejerigaarden and Gammeldags brands with new types of ice cream — flavoured with bourbon, vanilla and notes of licorice, and blueberry, pistachio, walnut and nougat ice cream. A fresh look at the product range and, at the same time, commitment to the traditions of quality of production and selection of ingredients became the success formula for the new marketing strategy and formed the basis for re-branding the company’s flagship brands — Mejerigaarden and Gammeldags. Mildberry provided the company with expert and consulting support in the brand strategy development, and created new designs for its brands and packaging.

Premier Is, unlike its main competitor, manufactures all products in Denmark, which could be a very strong competitive advantage, but, unfortunately, it was not sufficiently communicated by previous package designs. The common task for both brands was to rediscover historical and national roots in all designs; each brand with its own story and concept, which also needed to be expressed.

Gammeldags is the oldest Danish ice cream brand, created in 1933 when the company’s founder Sigurd Laurids Sørensen founded his factory in Thisted. Gammeldags is more than just an ice cream brand. It is one of the most respected symbols of Denmark. Tradition and heritage are the essences of this brand. That is why new Gammeldags package design uses real historical photos, taken in the last century at Thisted dairy.

Mejerigaarden is the dream of the company’s founder: to create the best ice cream from the best ingredients. Mejerigaarden is made only from Danish organic cream and other local organic ingredients. The concept of Mejerigaarden’s simple Scandinavian-style design is still based on history, using the original elements of the Scandinavian industrial architecture of the early 20th century. Geometric motifs in Mejerigaarden design are re-interpreted elements of mosaic decoration, while the logo’s female image is based on similar bas-relief that once embellished the factory’s building.

We are very proud to be chosen to solve the task. Mildberry had been competing with its Danish colleagues, won the tender for the development of these brands and successfully completed the task. Since 2017, ice cream of both updated brands is available in all stores in Denmark.