A Success Story With Vanilla Flavor

When I look out the window, I’m not exactly feeling summery. My Facebook news feed, however, is a completely different story. Besides a few understandable hate tirades directed at Mother Holle, there’s one springtime star in the social media sky: The Tschisi.

For those who don’t know the creatively Germanized Anglicism – it’s a vanilla ice cream from Eskimo that disappeared from the shelves at the end of the 1990s and, with the help of 85,000(!!!) likes, made it into the freezers of the new millennium, which has now entered its teenage years.

A success story like no other. Two friends, a bet, six crates of beer as stakes, and the secret ingredient: childhood on a stick with a bit of Bravo hits nostalgia and, oh yes, a little help from Eskimo – the social media miracle made in Austria was born.

The Triumphant Return of Tschisi: A Nostalgic Revival for Digital Natives

It’s truly fascinating to see the impact this campaign has had. It only just got started after the Tschisi release party and the official launch of the newly proclaimed cult item. Children of the late 80s and early 90s documented the Tschisi success story every step of the way. Because sharing is more important and we’re dealing with so-called digital natives here, hardly a day goes by without the Tschisimaus grinning from my screen. I almost don’t dare admit that I still haven’t tried the new version of the vanilla wonder.

It almost feels like you could buy the summer of yesteryear at the supermarket. Even if the holes in the ice are missing, and the sunshine and carefreeness and Mambo Number 5 aren’t playing on the radio every half hour anymore. But who needs that when you can party your way back to the nineties with the Tschisi comeback?

It’s funny that we indulge this nostalgia on social media channels. Because when the last ice cream was swiped at the cash register, Mom’s Siemens phone was still ringing monophonically, and anyone who played Pokémon on a Gameboy Color was considered one of the cool kids.

What Do I Want to Say With This Little Retrospective?

The success of the Tschisi campaign shows us once again what social media can do. Can do, because imitation is probably a tricky business. Tschisi has managed to inspire and activate many, many Facebook users. With the help of countless Tschisi fans, the story practically tells itself. Even if the hype won’t last forever, for now, the two friends and a few strategists from Eskimo can sit back and savor the vanilla-flavored success.