Häagen-Dazs, General Mills’ iconic luxury ice cream brand, has appointed BBH as its global lead creative agency, reigniting one of advertising’s most ground-breaking creative partnerships.

The recoupling follows a hugely influential and disruptive run of work in the ‘90s, which saw Häagen-Dazs zag into adult sensuality with campaigns including Dedicated to Pleasure and Heat, the brand’s first TV advertising campaign. Within the first year of the partnership, Häagen-Dazs saw an astonishing annual sales growth of 398%, becoming one of the world’s most talked about and awarded brands.

BBH’s appointment signals a recommitment from Häagen-Dazs to disrupt the sector with a new global brand platform and distinct visual identity, reconnecting consumers with the pure indulgence of the brand, with an ambition to increase sales at double the predicted category growth rate.

The appointment follows a competitive pitch. The process was run by Oystercatchers.

Manual Garabato, Global Brand Director, Häagen-Dazs, said: “This isn’t our first date with BBH. After appointing the agency in 1990, Häagen-Dazs rapidly became the most talked about ice cream brand in the world, thanks to the combination of the brand’s disruptive adult positioning and the cultural and creative brilliance of BBH. Now we’re rekindling that relationship to create a bold and challenging approach to the category with a distinctive new global brand platform.”

Karen Martin, Chief Executive Officer at BBH London, said: “Häagen-Dazs has a unique place in the creative legacy of BBH and getting the chance to reconnect with such an iconic brand feels like an incredibly special moment. We share the same passion and vision for the work and can’t wait to get going, again.”