In a show of love for both its consumers and retailers, ice cream brand Wall’s has developed a solar panel price board to generate energy for stores facing power cuts in Pakistan.

The solar panel is designed to keep ice cream cool for consumers and sellable for retailers. Currently, in prototype phase, the innovation generates backup green energy to counteract the impact of Pakistan’s frequent power cuts.

Price and regulation of energy is a big issue for many retailers in Pakistan. The country has the highest energy cost inflation and the highest number of hours of load shedding, globally.  Load shedding occurs when power companies switch off the supply to customers. This is to reduce electricity consumption at times when the entire system is at risk due to a shortage of supply or to prevent lines from being overloaded.

In these hours, freezers stop working. While many larger stores have backup generators to keep the machines running, many small businesses do not have this privilege; leaving them with melted ice cream and unsellable spoiled stock.

Agency Lola Mullenlowe has worked with Walls to help combat this issue keeping ice cream cool and sellable with an innovative price board that doubles as a solar energy generator. With ice cream price boards being used for 100 years, the campaign celebrates the iconic signs with finding a sustainable solution to Pakistan’s power cut problems.

In a 2-minute hero video, Wall’s Pakistan and Lola Mullenlowe explore the need for the Solar Price board. The campaign highlights how the brand has set out to help its important partners, shopkeepers.

The video spotlights various retailers who document their personal experiences with the impact of power cuts and selling ice creams. It also shows the team behind the innovative product, who explain how it all works.

The Solar Priceboard runs by transforming sunlight into energy, which can keep freezers running during load shedding. In turn, it will save smaller businesses money and reduce the amount of waste.

The transformed Solar Board works by storing the energy in an internal battery. When there is a load shed, the battery then powers the Wall’s freezers. Not only does the Solar Price Board advertise the ice cream, but it also keeps it frozen.

Unilever Pakistan has already begun tackling the issue for ice cream factories, distributors and mobile ice cream trikes, using green energy. In fact, the Wall’s Pakistan Ice Cream Factory is home to the largest solar farm in South Asia.

The Solar Board innovation comes as part of Wall’s Pakistan’s long-term initiative to pioneer green energy. Mert Turgut, Director at Wall’s Ice Cream Pakistan, explained: "In order to overcome electricity challenges, a top issue for the past 3 years, we're continuing on investing and innovating”.

Barbara Scala, Wall’s Ice Cream Global Brand Director, said: “Wall’s price board is the most penetrated and effective media display, it’s the house of our brands and the beacon of ice cream. The solar panel price board is an unique and innovative solution to invite consumers to enjoy their ice creams and customers to supply ice cream without disruption”.

While currently still in the prototype phase, the product will soon be rolled out across cabinets, kiosks, and ice cream carts.

The campaign savvily combines product and promotion, saving shopkeepers money, keeping consumers happy and fed, preventing waste, and advancing green energy initiatives. The innovative idea solves one of the brand's core problems while supporting local shopkeepers and championing them as advocates for the brand. Putting the needs of consumers, partners and the planet front and center, the campaign uses technology to solve a business problem and authentically connect with audiences.