Rossi Ice Cream : A Story of Entrepreneurship
We recently created a short film featuring the Rossi Ice Cream company, to celebrate National Ice Cream Day 2022. Being a Southend-on-sea based company ourselves, we love to network with and shout about other Southend based brands, and there is no denying that Rossi isn't just another local company: it's somewhat of an institution. Many adults have fond childhood memories of walking along Southend seafront with an ice cream cone in hand, or getting excited by hearing the familiar chimes of the Rossi van as it trundled through your neighbourhood. Rossi has been going strong for almost a century, and with multiple outlets still going strong in Southend, the ice cream is continuing to be enjoyed here generation after generation. But what many people don't realise, is that the now famous brand was set up by chance, after founder Gus Rossi spotted a gap in the market, and took the opportunity to exploit it.
Gus and wife Anna had not long emigrated from Italy to Glasgow, Scotland, when they decided to travel to Southend for a seaside holiday back in the early 1930s. Upon arrival in Southend, Gus was shocked to discover that he could not purchase an ice cream anywhere. Jumping at the chance to fill this gap in the market, a move from Glasgow down to Essex quickly followed, and Gus also persuaded distant relatives to come over from Italy in order to launch his new venture. The Rossi brand was quickly established, and its popularity boomed from day one. It is hard to believe that there was ever a time that people visited our historic seaside town and didn't have an ice cream as part of the trip. A century later, Rossi's presence is more prominent than ever as you walk along the beach front with multiple retailers stocking Rossi Ice Cream products, and the Rossi parlour itself a popular haunt for kids and adults alike. We visited the Rossi factory during our filming, where 45,000 litres of ice cream is produced and distributed every week. As times have moved on, the popularity of Rossi has continued to grow, as has its distribution network. In spotting a gap in the market, and plunging in feet first to fill it, Gus Rossi created a local monopoly in his hey day, and a profitable legacy long after his death.
But, how do you spot an elusive "gap in the market"? Rossi is in a club we'd all love to be in, alongside the likes of James Dyson and the founders of the 'Innocent' soft drink company, where by they all spotted that gap and made their fortunes by being the first to exploit it.
Well, there is no secret to spotting a gap in the market, it is simply about listening to your potential customer base and understanding what problems or issues they are having with their current product or service and then creating a solution. Often an innovation is based on an easier way of doing a daily task such as vacuuming your house ( which is where Dyson and his bagless hoovering system swooped in). However, there are other innovations that create demand in the market. These products are revolutionary and completely new to the public domain, but as awareness of the product grows so will its sales. That's where we at Hellfire Creative like to step in.
As a creative agency, our craft is to build that awareness and help you grow those sales by bringing visibility to your brand and products and placing you in the public domain. Contact us today for a free consultation, and let's talk about how we can start growing your brand and create successful advertising campaigns for your business.