Kinder Bueno Ice Cream have enlisted UK garage legends Artful Dodger to reimagine the classic ice cream van jingle. Putting a fresh spin on an iconic summer sound, the chart smashing duo have produced the Ice Cream Track, their first new material in over a decade, to freshen up the sound of summer.
To launch the tune and offer music fans the chance to try a Kinder Bueno Ice Cream, the Kinder Bueno ice cream van will be at Battersea Power Station on Thursday 30th July at 4pm.
The project comes off the back of research by Kinder Bueno Ice Cream that found the jingle of an ice cream van to be the most nostalgic summer sound for almost half of UK adults (46%). Other moments sparking nostalgia were catching the smell of a neighbour’s BBQ drifting over the fence (32%) and saying ‘it’s too hot’ (54%) after begging for the sun to come out.
In fact, the study revealed 68% agreed it is often the small moments that make summer in the UK feel iconic with 41% going a step further and claiming that a British summer is a completely unique experience.
Other seasonal moments Brits cherish most included popping to the shop for an ice cream (25%), amusement arcades with 2p machines (24%) and spontaneous garden gatherings (21%). One in five (19%) love the smell of sunscreen mixed with salty sea air, while 14% say you can’t beat the battle of trying to blow up the paddling pool.
But for many Brits, summer nostalgia is just as much about the soundtrack as it is the sunshine. From hearing your favourite summer tune on the radio (29%), a thunderstorm in the distance (24%) to the distant hum of a lawnmover (21%) and the sound of a neighbour’s radio (11%), music and sounds remain deeply tied to memories of long, carefree summer days and continue to define the British summer experience.
And for many, the unmistakable soundtrack of the 2000s (32%), 1990s (21%) and 1980s (19%) is entwined with the summers we remember best, spending endless evenings outside (34%), having water fights in the garden (21%) and playing frisbee in the park until sunset (11%).
Pop (57%), rock (28%), club classics (22%) and reggae (19%) are the go-to genres when the sun is out, with 46% believing that music plays a crucial role in creating a summer vibe. Londoners were the biggest garage fans with over a quarter (26%) choosing it to soundtrack their summer.
The survey also found that nostalgia for summers gone is becoming increasingly important to Brits with more than half (54%) admitting they yearn for the summers of their youth and 63% saying they feel warm and happy inside when they reminisce.
34 is the age when nostalgia begins to set in, with 32% of millennials and 28% of Gen Z admitting they are currently in their ‘peak nostalgia’ era referencing; remembering shared experiences (58%) and thinking about the simplicity of days gone by (58%) as the main reasons we love nostalgic experiences.
Nearly all (93%) agreed revisiting the brands, music and moments of their youth is about reconnecting with a simpler chapter of life.
91% said they regularly listen to their favourite music tracks from that time now, with 95% agreeing the tunes were better then, than they are today.
Commenting on the project, Artful Dodger producer David Low said; “British Summers are defined by their soundtracks. Whether it’s a heavy bassline or the jingle of an ice cream truck, these sounds can transport us to another place and time.
Artful Dodger MC Alistair added: “Creating a fresh take on such an iconic summer sound was a lot of fun. This is going to be stuck in your head all Summer long’
Rebecca Jakob, Senior Brand Manager for Kinder Bueno Ice Cream, said: “British summers are often defined by the little things — the familiar smells, sounds and rituals that instantly transport us back to some of our happiest memories.
“Whether it’s hearing the ice cream van in the distance, catching the smell of a barbecue drifting through the garden or listening to the songs that soundtracked summers gone by, it’s these simple moments that make the season feel so special. Summer nostalgia is incredibly powerful, and so often it’s the smallest pleasures that bring the biggest sense of joy.”
30 NOSTALGIC MOMENTS THAT MAKE A BRITISH SUMMER FEEL UNIQUE:
The sound of the ice cream van – 46%
Long evenings in spent outdoors in the back garden – 34%
The scent of freshly cut grass – 33%
The smell of a neighbour’s BBQ – 32%
Saying ‘it’s hot’ after begging for the sun to come out – 31%
Your favourite summer song coming on the radio – 29%
Popping to the local shop for an ice cream – 25%
A thunderstorm breaking a humid heatwave – 24%
Amusement arcades with 2pm machines – 24%
Seaside shops selling buckets and spades – 22%
Spontaneous garden gatherings – 21%
The distant hum of a lawnmover on a sunny afternoon – 21%
Water fights – 21%
The smell of sunscreen mixed with salty sea air – 19%
Trying to get sand out between your toes – 15%
A seagull stealing one of your chips – 14%
Blowing up a paddling pool – 14%
Making a dish to take to a friend’s BBQ – 14%
Going to the local swimming pool or lido – 14%
Riding your bike with your mates until sunset – 13%
Running through a garden sprinkler – 12%
Constantly asking ‘is it shorts weather?’ – 12%
Getting up early to head to the airport – 12%
Blowing up inflatables for the paddling pool – 12%
People playing frisbee in the park – 11%
The sticky smell of hot tarmac – 11%
Chasing butterflies in the garden – 11%
Socks with sandals – 11%
Sound of rounders in the park – 10%
Supersoakers in the garden – 10%
