Flipping the tip: How Cornetto turned a tiny bite into a big story

Cornetto’s “At Last!” Campaign Hits the Sweet Spot

We all dream about that final bite of a Cornetto cone, where you finally reach the chocolatey sweet spot at the very tip. Unilever and MullenLowe Istanbul have taken that exact moment and turned it into a whole OOH campaign. Because if there’s anything that screams “summer’s finally here,” it’s a creamy frozen treat - and the one part of a Cornetto that everyone remembers is that last little bit.

Just in time for the warmer season, the campaign hit the streets of Turkey with giant billboards tapping into shared sensory memories and sunshine-soaked nostalgia. But this time, Cornetto flipped the script. Instead of showing the chocolatey tip we all know and love, they swapped it out for small, sweet slices of summer.

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Sweet design moves

Hanging out wet swimsuits, a striped balcony umbrella, taking a dip in the ocean. By placing these tiny, joyful moments at the “best part” of the cone, the brand turns a bite-sized treat into a bigger story about summer. The cone can be seen as a telescope into these moments. We also noted that it resembles a summer wave perfect for surfing - intentional or not with their placement, we think it adds a nice touch.  

It’s a simple but clever play on product design. Too often, brands overlook the most iconic bits of their own product, getting caught up in polished USPs and forgetting the stuff people actually remember and love. It features instantly recognisable visuals - especially to existing fans of the brand, and brand logos and packaging aren’t front and centre here. The signature cone shape and waffle design are not only a great feature in terms of colour and texture, but lean into their brand image. 

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Emotions by the scoop

Cornetto taps straight into the feels with a dose of seasonal nostalgia. You know that “finally, it’s summer” energy? The first dive into the water, an inflatable pool ring, it’s all there. The visuals connect emotionally to that collective sigh of relief when the sun shows up and life feels a little sweeter.

The copy is simple and sharp with just two words: At Last! It says everything it needs to: anticipation, joy, and the deep satisfaction of biting into the best part of summer. Even if you miss the finer image details at first glance, the message still lands.

It’s also a fresh visual take outside of the branding itself. Viewing summer through the end of an ice cream cone is a novel take (as far as we’re aware, at least), acting like a telescope into the season. This storytelling moment shows that these are good times to come, and Cornetto is helping you see it. It’s hard to tell a story in an OOH format due to its short view time, but Cornetto has gone straight for the concept. 

Where the cone cracks a little

That said, not everything about the campaign is quite as smooth as a melted vanilla swirl. While the framing is clever, it’s also subtle. And in a fast-paced OOH environment - like a roadside billboard or a busy bus shelter - that subtlety can be a double-edged cone. Some viewers found the images inside the cone (like the balcony or flip-flops) a little confusing at first glance. From a distance, the message risks being missed, especially if you don’t get to stick around for the full visual story.

The cleverness of the “view from the tip of the cone” idea is poetic, but it’s not immediately obvious on first glance, especially from a distance. In fast-paced environments (like roadside billboards or transit shelters), the telescope-like framing might get missed or misinterpreted, weakening impact. The moment visible at the end of the cone is particularly small for an OOH format, and may be missed by the audience on quick glance. For example, some viewers found the balcony shot was a little ambiguous, even for those with time to spend on the ad.

The copy does its part. “At Last!” is short, sweet, and emotionally loaded. It’s the perfect phrase to welcome summer, and matches the minimal, high-impact visual approach. But when paired with a slightly abstract image, it leans hard on existing brand recognition and viewer interpretation.

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Still sweet at the core

Still, even with that creative risk, Cornetto pulls off a campaign that feels like summer. It’s emotionally resonant, visually creative, and rooted in a product truth that fans already know and love. While a little more product clarity or visual punch could have made it even stronger from an OOH performance standpoint, the result is undeniably charming.

Cornetto’s “At Last!” campaign shines in its emotional resonance and visual creativity - it feels like summer, and it feels like Cornetto. 

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