Nothing Cracks Like a Magnum: Sight and Sound Working In Perfect Harmony
In a world where consumers are bombarded with thousands of ads daily, ice cream giant Magnum has found a way to make Londoners stop, look, and—most importantly—listen.
The iconic ice cream brand has just launched what might be the most sensory-driven OOH campaign of 2025, synchronising the unmistakable “crack” of biting into a Magnum across both visual and audio channels throughout London.
The campaign, aptly named “Nothing Cracks Like a Magnum,” represents a significant evolution in how brands can create immersive experiences in traditionally disconnected advertising spaces.
By leveraging Global’s API data feed, Magnum has achieved something remarkable: when Heart radio listeners hear the signature chocolate crack sound, nearby digital billboards simultaneously display the visual campaign.
This technical marvel didn’t happen in isolation.
The collaborative effort brought together media powerhouses Mindshare, GroupM OOH, Global, Ocean Outdoor, and DOOH.com to create what Daniel Lythgo, Magnum’s UK brand manager, calls “a perfect example of our commitment to innovation in advertising.”
What makes this campaign particularly noteworthy is how it transforms OOH advertising from a passive viewing experience into an active sensory engagement.
By reinforcing the product’s most distinctive attribute—that satisfying crack through premium chocolate—across multiple senses, Magnum has found a way to make its product virtually tangible even when consumers are simply commuting.
The roadside installations represent just the beginning, with additional activations planned at Ocean Outdoor sites at Westfield London and Manchester Skylights, supported by a comprehensive media mix including TV, cinema, audio platforms, social media, and digital channels.
As Natasha Irwin, Mindshare UK Unilever account director noted, this approach brings sound to “traditionally soundless environments such as OOH,” effectively turning a limitation of the medium into its greatest strength.
For marketers watching this space, Magnum’s campaign offers a masterclass in sensory branding and integrated media planning that goes beyond mere coordination to create genuine consumer moments.
In an era where capturing attention is increasingly difficult, Magnum has proven that sometimes, the most powerful marketing comes down to appealing to our most basic senses—sight and sound working in perfect harmony.
