SHARE HAPPY

First Smile-Activated Ice Cream Vending Machine

UNILEVER WALLS ICE CREAM

The year is 2010. The challenge: Find a new way to associate Walls Ice Cream with unadulterated happiness. Be remarkable and give it a 21st Century twist. 

We created the world’s first smile-activated ice cream vending machine. Simply smile and it gives you a free ice cream. Facial recognition measures people’s smiles and allows you to share them.

Customers interact using a multi-touch screen and the interface uses stop motion animation. Our tech team hacked facial recognition software to measure people’s smiles. The machine connects to Facebook, uploads the smile and the customer get a free ice cream.

Outcome

  • 3.5K smiles at launch

  • £450k worth of earned media
  • 50 pieces of coverage

Awards

  • SXSW Interactive Awards, Winner

  • Revolution Awards, Winner

  • Econsultancy Innovation Awards, Winner

  • Cannes Lions, Cyber, Bronze

  • Campaign Big Awards, Digital, Silver

  • Campaign Big Awards, Direct, Silver

  • LIA Awards, Bronze

  • IAB Mixx Awards, Gold

  • W3 Awards, Silver

  • Eurobest Awards, Silver

  • MITX Awards, Best of Show

  • MITX Awards, Best use of Technology

  • MITX Awards, Technology Best of Show

  • Digital Out-of-Home Awards

  • Media Awards

  • Unilever Global Marketing Award, Gold

  • Design Week Awards, Shortlist

Studio: Publicis Sapient / Concept & Art Direction: Chomoi Picho-Owiny

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Chomoi Picho-Owiny
Creative Direction

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There is only one word for Chomoi. PHENOMENAL. A dream to work with.

Lucy Witts

Senior Producer, Venture Video

A passionate and articulate creative director. He was a great inspiration to the team.

Mandy Chan

Senior Interaction Designer, Google

A highly skilled and passionate creative director. A valuable mentor for me.

Fernando Lobina

Senior Designer, AKQA

Chomoi is a true inspiration. I will take so much away from working alongside someone with such an abundance of experience.

Amber Howe

Design Lead, IBM Expert Labs

An inspiring mentor, and I'd jump at the chance to work with him again.

Eleanor Nugent

Creative Director, Warner Bros.

Insightful, passionate and a genuine creative talent

Maggie Lonergan

CEO, Publicis Emil

A rare breed of Creative Director.

Hitesh Supeda

Senior Experience Designer, Habitat

He's simply an inspiring professional and a great leader. He always strives to reach creativity excellence with a smile on.

Sara Simoncini

Art Director, Sapient

Extremely consultative and collaborative, his ideas were visionary and out of the box.

Pawan Udernani

Senior Director, Publicis Sapient

Highly conceptual and always hands on, Chomoi has been a storm of inspiration in every project I've worked with him.

Daisoo Lee

Creative Director, Sky

Chomoi has the ability to come up with original innovative ideas quicker than any other creative director I have worked with.

Shailesh Sreedharan

Senior Manager, Publicis Sapient

© Chomoi Picho-Owiny 2025