PICKS OF THE WEEK

NPD AND MEDIA

WALKERS MAX v KFC ADVERT ‘JUST MAKES PERFECT SENSE’

THIS WEEKEND SAW THE FIRST AIRING OF THE NEW WALKERS MAX X KFC TV AD, COMPLETE WITH GARY LINEKER IN A COLONEL SANDERS GETUP.

To mark the launch of the new Walkers MAX xKFC flavoured crisps and its on-pack promooffering a 2-for-1 KFC Meal with every pack, thisweekend saw the national debut of the brand’sTV ad.

Matt Watson, Creative Director at PepsiCo,comments: “There are some things in life that,once you’ve seen them, just make perfect sense.KFC flavoured crisps – a no brainer, right?”

But something Watson also noticed was the distinct resemblance between Walker brand ambassador Gary Lineker and Colonel Sanders himself. Hence why Lineker stars in the ad in full Colonel Sanders get up.

The ad premiered on Saturday with a 30” spot during the final of The Masked Singer and will feature heavily across TV, digital and social media until early April.

The media campaign is being supplemented with Walkers’ first ever TikTok Top View creative and a Twitter Spotlight takeover, which both went live yesterday.

WALKERS MAX X KFC

Walkers MAX Kentucky Fried Chicken and Walkers MAX Double Crunch Zinger are available all-year-round.

An on-pack promotion gives consumers a 2-for-1 KFC Meal for One with every pack. Consumers simply need to buy a promotional pack and take it to their local KFC restaurant to claim a 2 for 1 KFC Meal for One.

The promo is valid until 31 July 2021 and can be used for dine-in at a later date, once restaurants have fully reopened, as long as customers hold onto their promotional packs.

RUBICON RAW’S FRESH TAKE ON ENERGY

BARR SOFT DRINKS IS URGING SHOPPERS TO BECOMEA FORCE OF NATURE WITH NEW RANGE OF LESSMASCULINE, NATURAL FRUIT JUICE-BASED ENERGYDRINKS UNDER ITS RUBICON BRAND.

Barr Soft Drinks has unveiled a new big can energy drink range under its Rubicon brand. Rubicon Raw has been built on “a foundation of consumer insight”, says the company and “offers something truly new and different” to today’s energy drinks market.

Aimed at “developing” energy consumers, Rubicon Raw features a ‘less masculine’ design and is made with 20% real fruit juice together with caffeine from green coffee beans and B-vitamins providing a big energy hit that is full of flavour.

“We’ve launched Rubicon Raw to meet the needs of today’s developing energy consumers,” says Adrian Troy, Marketing Director at Barr Soft Drinks. “We have invested heavily throughout the development of Rubicon Raw to understand the Energy consumer better, and what’s relevant

in their lives today. They adopted the category as young adults, but many have matured and evolved as consumers since then, and they’re calling out for something new.”

That research revealed that the average age of an energy drinker – 31 – is older than many retailers might think.

The Rubicon Raw range comprises three variants – Raspberry & Blueberry, Orange & Mango and Cherry & Pomegranate – with natural flavours and no artificial colours.

The launch will be supported by a £1.5m consumer, social and shopper marketing campaign.

The levy-free 500ml Rubicon Raw range is available in plain pack (RSP £1.29) and a £1.29 PMP with a range of in-store and in-depot POS.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW...

Three variants:Raspberry & Blueberry,Orange & Mango andCherry & Pomegranate.

Made with 20% realfruit juice.

Caffeine from greencoffee beans.

B-vitamins, naturalflavours, no artificialcolours.

Launch supportedby £1.5m consumercampaign.

Outer wrapped in 100%recycled film.

Plan pack and PMP –RSP £1.29.

The Pakora Explorer has launched handmade fresh pakoras, aimed at the food-to-go market. The range is free from additives, colourings and preservatives and is available in vegetable, chicken or mixed vegetable & chicken, complete with pakora sauce. RSPs: £3.50 to £4.20

HANDLE WITH CARE

Big Wave Brands has launched pineapple Aloha 65 Detonators, fresh pineapple chunks pickled and infused with scotch-bonnet chilli. Perfect for the BBQ, burgers or in a spicy salad – and not for the faint hearted. RSP: £4.95

GIVE IT A SHOT

Steeps has launched Steeps One Shot, a 250ml fiery blend of seven raw, natural, sustainably-sourced organic ingredients, infused for 12 weeks in apple cider vinegar, designed to be drunk in small measures once a day. £12.95

WORLD’S STRONGEST COFFEE

Black Insomnia has launched Dark Roast Grounds, a “robust” coffee with 1105mg of caffeine in every mug – four times the strength of most high street brands, making it the world’s strongest, allegedly. RSP: £14.99

LUXURY EASTER

Hames Chocolates has launched a new premium chocolate egg range for Easter featuring two milk chocolate, one milk and white chocolate and two veganfriendly eggs. All packaging is environmentally friendly. RSP: £12.50

GET REAL

Fruittella has been given a makeover to highlight the real fruit that goes into every pack and to significantly reduce the weight of its packaging. The refresh runs across 30 UK SKUs, showcasing the brand’s ingredients and free-from credentials.

SNACK ATTACK

PepsiCo is introducing two £1 PMPs into the value snacks category – Cheetos Footballs and Smiths Funyuns Onion Flavour Rings. The snacking giant is supporting the launch with extensive in-store marketing. RSP: £1

KOOKIE CREW

Maryland Cookies is encouraging consumers to ‘Keep it Kookie’ in a major brand repositioning which says Maryland is ‘unashamedly different’. The initiative is backed by a £750k spend featuring a fully-integrated, digital-led marketing campaign.

RITTER LISTING

Family-owned chocolate producer Ritter Sport has secured a national listing in Morrisons after a sixth consecutive year of growth for Ritter Sport in the UK. The brand is already stocked in Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Ocado Co-op, BP and Nisa.

FUNCTIONAL CHEESE FIRST

Babybel Plus is the cheese brand’s first ever functional snack line designed specifically for the food-to-go category. It launches with two variants, Babybel + Vitamins and Babybel + Live Cultures. RSP: £1

SPAR GOES NATURAL

Spar has launched a new range of 15 Spar Natural health and wellness products. The range features 12 prompts including vegan, vegetarian, organic, lactose free, sugar free, honey free, gluten free, wheat free, dairy free, egg free, wild grown and allergen free.

BEEFEATER GETS FRUITY

Beefeater is introducing a new Peach & Raspberry flavour inspired by two historic recipes from founder, James Burrough, who created Peach Liqueur and Raspberry Gin in the 1800s. RSP: £18.99