• by Amy Corr , Staff Writer, May 25, 2006

Cold Stone Creamery is ready for its close-up, Mr. DeMille. The popular ice cream franchise has changed its "to go" packaging from white to red in an effort to boost store sales and score branded entertainment deals.

The old packaging wasn't camera-friendly, according to Kevin Donnellan, director of public relations at Cold Stone Creamery. "The old packaging was being washed out by the lights. Once the packaging got on set, it was replaced by another product," he says.

Cold Stone relies heavily on local in-store marketing. The company doesn't advertise on TV, in print, or on the radio, except for local sponsorships. So Cold Stone views product placement as a great vehicle that meshes with the company's media strategy.

Pier 3 Entertainment, a company that brokers branded entertainment deals, has been working to increase Cold Stone's brand exposure. The brand appeared in an April episode of Discovery Channel's "Monster Garage," as Jesse James and his team turned a 1977 Chevy ice cream delivery truck into a 650-horsepower road hog. Donnellan says the company is looking to use the souped-up truck in a drag race against a competitor's ice cream truck. Watch out, Mister Softee.