Billboards that spark cravings – Hocco’s bold take on OOH advertising

Out-of-home (OOH) advertising has always been one of the most powerful ways to build awareness, but in recent years, it has also evolved into a medium for creativity and cultural storytelling. For Hocco Ice Creams, a homegrown brand steadily making its mark across India, OOH has become far more than a platform for visibility—it’s a stage for emotion, impulse, and innovation. 

Roli Shrivastava, VP Marketing at Hocco Ice Creams, sees OOH as an enabler of both consumer desire and brand pride. “It not only helps us establish credibility in the market, it gives us a stage to flaunt our products-and we love doing that,” she says. 

Why OOH matters for impulse-led categories 

Unlike high-involvement purchases such as automobiles or real estate, ice cream is inherently impulsive. A single visual can trigger cravings, leading directly to consumption. As Roli explains, “You see it and you want to eat it. That instant craving is what OOH enables for us. Visibility turns into desire, and when desire turns into action-whether at a nearby outlet or on a quick-commerce app—that’s when the medium shows its real strength.” 

But the impact extends beyond just consumers. Hocco’s bold OOH campaigns also energize its extended ecosystem. “My stakeholders are not just the people eating ice creams,” she points out. “They’re also channel partners, distributors, QSR partners, and retailers. When they see Hocco doing big outdoor campaigns, the pride they feel in stocking and selling our products is immense. It motivates them to push us further at the point of sale.” 

Standing out in a cluttered cityscape 

In a world where urban audiences are bombarded with messages from every direction, differentiation is non-negotiable. “Cities are busier, commutes are longer, and people are constantly on the move. OOH is unavoidable, but it can also get lost in the clutter if you don’t innovate,” says Roli. “Unless you create something special, you won’t stand out. That’s why we treat OOH as a stage where we must surprise both ourselves and our audience.” 

The aamchi mango campaign – nostalgia meets FOMO 

One of Hocco’s most memorable OOH campaigns was the launch of Aamchi Mango, a seasonal flavour celebrating India’s deep connection with mangoes. Instead of limiting the campaign to standard billboards, the brand created a multi-sensory experience: a mango-scented newspaper ad, an artist-designed wraparound, and a giant mango tree installation on a hoarding in Ahmedabad. 

“The product itself was so nostalgic mangoes remind us of summer and love that we wanted to give it a stage worthy of its story,” recalls Roli. “By putting a tree on a hoarding, we turned it into a spectacle people emotionally connected with.” 

The response was immediate. Consumers not only rushed to buy the flavour but also turned it into a social media moment. “We didn’t even use influencers as part of the strategy,” she says. “But what happened was even more powerful—people began posting about how they couldn’t find it because it was sold out. That sense of FOMO became organic influencer marketing for us.” 

Beyond one-offs- a philosophy of surprise 

For Hocco, bold campaigns like Aamchi Mango are not isolated stunts but reflections of a core philosophy. “Our strategy is very simple: What’s new? That’s the question we constantly ask ourselves-whether it’s product, packaging, or marketing,” explains Roli. “Surprise should never die down. If we keep surprising our consumers, they’ll keep coming back. Even our classic flavours like chocolate or butterscotch become everyday favourites when you maintain that sense of delight.” 

Here again, OOH plays a crucial role. “The beauty of OOH is that it’s non-skippable,” Roli emphasizes. “On digital, people can swipe past an ad. But on the street, if you give them something bold and dramatic, they can’t ignore it. That’s what makes this medium so powerful for us.” 

As Hocco expands its presence across India, the brand continues to view OOH not just as an advertising channel but as a platform for cultural resonance and creative expression. In Roli’s words: “It’s about turning a billboard into something people talk about, click pictures with, and remember. That’s how you make OOH work harder than any other medium.”