# Spring Season Branding Activations Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard is Running a Giveaway By Kalin Ned | Published 2026-03-02 | Marketing Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ritas-italian-ice-frozen-custard References: [wfmz](https://www.wfmz.com/news/pr_newswire/pr_newswire_pennsylvania/spring-officially-starts-at-ritas-with-free-italian-ice-giveaway-and-new-mystery-peeps-flavor/article_55016201-6cc8-5e8d-8f4b-f3efebe8fa20.html)  Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard is marking the official start of the spring season with its traditional free Italian Ice giveaway. Simultaneously, the brand is also introducing a new limited-time offering — the Mystery PEEPS Italian Ice Flavor — which was developed in collaboration with the iconic marshmallow brand. For the first day of spring on March 20th, Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard has committed to "free six-ounce Italian Ice giveaway to guests at all 600+ locations nationwide." On the same day, the company will launch the PEEPS-inspired dessert. The Mystery PEEPS Italian Ice Flavor transforms the familiar, sweet taste of a PEEPS marshmallow into a refreshing frozen format. Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard and its collaborator are keeping the exact flavor profile of this confection secret to engage customers in a nationwide guessing game for a chance to win prizes. Image Credit: Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.7/10 - Popularity: 46% | Activity: 60% | Freshness: 66% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Gen Alpha, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Marketing](https://www.trendhunter.com/marketing) > [Branding](https://www.trendhunter.com/branding) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Seasonal Experiential Marketing:** Free seasonal giveaways and in-person activations create low-cost onboarding channels for loyalty ecosystems and real-world data capture. - **Collaborative Limited-edition Products:** Co-branded, time-limited flavors generate collectible demand spikes that enable premium pricing and heightened media attention. - **Gamified Flavor Reveals:** Mystery flavor campaigns convert product launches into participatory experiences that drive sustained social engagement and user-generated content. ### Who This Affects Most - **Food & Beverage:** Novel frozen dessert offerings enable frequent product rotations and create opportunities for subscription sampling and seasonal menu monetization. - **Retail Promotions:** Nationwide, time-bound giveaways function as scalable foot-traffic drivers that inform targeted regional merchandising strategies. - **Consumer Packaged Goods:** Secret-recipe collaborations and limited releases foster scarcity narratives that can elevate licensing value and co-branded retail partnerships. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Icy Cola-Flavored Desserts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ritas-cola-italian-ice.md) - [Blended Icy Matcha Beverages](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/frozen-matcha.md) - [Pie-Inspired Ice Creams](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pie-ice-creams.md) - [Witchy Frozen Dessert Menus](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/brewberry-italian-ice.md) - [Holiday Season Milkshake Menus](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ritas-milkshakes.md) - [Icy Valentine's-Ready Treats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/chocolatecovered-strawberry-cream-ice.md) - [Icy Summertime Refreshment Menus](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/rocket-pop-italian-ice.md) - [Frozen Apple Butter Treats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/apple-butter-concrete.md) - [Mystery Ice Cream Shops](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/surprise-scoop.md)