MR. WHIPPY STORY

This handy history of Mr. Whippy takes readers from the introduction of mobile soft ice cream on the streets of Britain in the spring of 1959, to the beloved brand's acquisition by an industry giant in the mid-1960s and its final demise as part of the Wall's empire in the 1990s. The story of Mr. Whippy begins in 19th century Italy where Enrico Facchino and his wife, Angela Maria, made the decision to move from Sora outside Rome to Birmingham where they began selling ice cream traded from handcarts. It was Enrico's third son, Dominic Facchino, who became the driving force behind the launch of the Mr. Whippy brand and in 1958 decided to use the advertising agency Longleys & Hoffman to help create a professional and uniquely identifiable image which was most notable for the choice of pink and cream livery on their ice cream vans - a direct contrast to the rival, Mister Softee's blue and white vans. The book celebrates Mr. Whippy's success overseas, including in Australia where people were 'enthusiastic' at the arrival of the first Mr. Whippy vans and, in January 1963, a new depot in Sydney had to be opened to receive a second batch of 24 vans. The author uses information, advertising and promotional material from the 1960s and 1970s and the book includes news published pictures. Admire a photo of early Mr. Whippy vans which were hand-painted, a portrait photo of Dominic Facchimo, and a shot of Warwick House, Leamington Spa, which was the hub of Mr. Whippy's operations in the mid-1960s. Paperback, colour and black and white images, 64pp.