Picks of the Week

HÄAGEN-DAZS UNVEILS CAMPAIGN TO DRIVE CATEGORY

The campaign will include TV and video-on-demand ads, supported by social media activity, and close collaboration with local influencers.

Luxury ice cream brand Häagen-Dazs haslaunched a global consumer campaign, which aims to drive category growth across key markets including the UK.

‘The Ice Cream of Ice Creams’ campaign aims to drive excitement through a series of playful adverts, which demonstrate how the brand’s superior ice cream can bring consumers moments of joy. By dramatising Häagen-Dazs’ ‘Don’t Hold Back’ ethos, the light-hearted creative will encourage people to let go and be in the moment.

TV and video-on-demand ads will run across Sky, ITV, and Channel 4 supported by social media activity, attention-grabbing digital shorts, and close collaboration with local influencers.

Jose Alves, Marketing Manager at Häagen-Dazs UK, said: “Häagen-Dazs is the best of the best because of our sophisticated craftmanship and use of high-quality ingredients. This is reflected in the fact we’re the number one brand for superior taste experiences and our aim is to create special moments of indulgence that our customers can enjoy at home.

“Our new ‘The Ice Cream of Ice Creams’ campaign showcases the value of premium ice cream experiences in an over-the-top, playful way, which builds on our iconic brand identity. The series of ads includes an artist creating a life-size ice cream sculpture of herself – reinforcing our ethos as the go-to ice cream for those who don’t hold back.”

AQUIOS LABS SET TO TAKE UK VAPE MARKET BY STORM

The technology innovator has unveiled the world’s first water-based vape product, which is being launched in 10 flavours.

Aquios Labs is set to take the UK vape market by storm after investing £3m in a water-based product – the first of its kind in the world.

The company is aiming to establish a major presence in the convenience and specialist retail vape market, as well as on forecourts, and in cash & carrys.

Aquios Labs launched its Aquios Bar range at the UK Vaper Expo in Birmingham. It believes the range is ideally suited to help the UK’s seven million smokers kick the habit.

Being focused on user experience, it addresses issues such as throat irritation that have tended to put off smokers or have led to vapers return to smoking, the company says.

Aquios Bar, which is being launched in 10 flavours, features an innovative coil design and specially formulated e-liquid making water-based vaping possible for the first time.

In using 30% water, Aquios Labs’ next-generation AQ30 technology is the first on the market to reduce the propylene glycol (PG) and vegetable glycerin (VG) content in the e-liquid. The goals are purer taste, less throat irritation and dehydration, and enhanced chemical stability to maximise harm reduction.

For the consumer, it means a smoother vapour, faster satisfaction, and cleaner flavour profiles, as well as a reduction in the sensation of dry mouth.

The novel design also addresses environmental concerns linked to the vaping industry as it uses fewer carbon-intensive materials, and the component parts can be disassembled for recycling.

A spokesperson for Aquios said: “Vaping has been one of the most disruptive markets this century, but it is still a young industry. Therefore, there is significant scope for continuous innovation as the category evolves, particularly in consumer experience, optimisation of harm reduction, and making vaping much more climate friendly.”

RUBICON UNVEILS BOLD NEW BRAND CAMPAIGN

The brand says the campaign has been designed to remind its core demographic of 16- to 34-year-old soft drinks shoppers that Rubicon is the brand for them.

Barr Soft Drinks is launching a new campaign for its exotic juice drink brand Rubicon that will is expected to reach 78% of 16- to 34-year-old soft drinks shoppers this summer.

The ‘Made of Different Stuff’ campaign will launch on video-on-demand from 16 June, highlighting the brand’s affinity with Rubicon drinkers’ desire to try new and exciting experiences.

The campaign also includes out-of-home, social and digital advertising, sampling and shopper marketing activity, and activations will also take place across national depots, including bespoke display builds.

Impactful POS and display units will be available for retailers, alongside bespoke POS for wholesalers to create in-depot theatre. Retailers and wholesalers interested in ordering POS should email trademarketing@agbarr.co.uk with their request and store or depot details.

Adrian Troy, Marketing Director at Barr Soft Drinks, said: “We’re encouraging wholesalers and retailers to stock up on Rubicon Still, Sparkling and Spring in all pack formats and make the most of our in-depot and in-store activation tools to boost category sales throughout the crucial summer period.

“Our new ‘Made of Different Stuff’ campaign is designed to remind our core demographic of 16- to 34-year-old soft drinks shoppers that Rubicon is the brand for them.

Brand awareness will be at an all-time high and we’ll be driving new and existing shoppers to fixture with a programme of impactful advertising, supported by eye-catching POS.”

PICKS OF THE WEEK

SUMMER GARDEN

Dunnet Bay Distillers has launched its 2022 Rock Rose Gin Summer Edition (41.5% ABV). The spirit has been created using ingredients from the distillery’s gardens and rockery to create a citrus-style gin. It has an RSP of £39 for a 70cl bottle or £32 for a recyclable refill pouch.

CINEMA SWEETS

Swizzels has created a new limited-edition Minions-themed range to coincide with the UK release of Minions: The Rise of Gru on 1 July 2022. The sweets include Minions Banana and Blueberry Squashies, Minions Tropical Chew Bars, and Minions Tropical Fizz Individual Chew Bars.

MEDIA MIXERS

Schweppes has launched a new, multi-million-pound summer marketing campaign that plays on Schweppes’ ‘We’ve got the tonic, you’ve got the spirit’ tagline and provides cocktail recipes using Schweppes mixers. It will feature on TV, VOD, OOH, social media, and at festivals and events.

FAMILY FUN

Toffifee has launched four fun, limited-edition pack designs, which focus on celebrating family moments together this summer. The brand says the new packs will help drive sales in-store by adding excitement and stand out on shelf. The 100g boxes RSP at £1.43.

COOL COFFEE

Starbucks has launched a limited-edition Frappuccino Toffee Honeycomb RTD. The drink is a chilled blend of Starbucks signature espresso, milk, and honey, finished with subtle notes of toffee. It comes in a glass bottle and is available at Costco, RSP £2.10.

BOXED WINE

Treasury Wine Estates is adding 19 Crimes Revolutionary Rosé in a 1.5l bag in box format. The wine keeps for up to six weeks once opened. The launch is being supported by a marketing campaign that will include in-store activity over the summer period.