Picks of the Week

GOOD BOY UNVEILS FIRST TV CAMPAIGN

The company is currently the fastest growing dog treat brand in the UK.

Dog treat brand Good Boy has launched its first TV ad campaign.

Each variety and flavour of Good Boy real meat treats are roasted in their natural juices to lock in the meaty flavour. The range offers options that are naturally low in fat and salt, grain free and contain no artificial nasties.

The campaign, set to hit screens in October, focuses on the joy dogs experience when they get a Good Boy treat. The brand hopes to harness the funny side of the UK’s favourite pet with super slow motion action shots of dogs ‘trying’ to catch treats.

The campaign also includes You Tube and Facebook advertising, as well as a PR campaign.

Good Boy has been creating dog treats since 1962. The brand has come a long way since then, with Good Boy treats enjoyed by two million UK households.

Over the past year, Good Boy has also seen more than £18m year-on-year growth – making it the fastest-growing dog treat brand.

Aimee Smith, Communications Manager for Good Boy, said: “The growth we’ve seen in recent years has been phenomenal, but we don’t want to stop there. We want to show pet-parents that we love their pups as much as they do, and every dog deserves a delicious and nutritious Good Boy treat.

“At Good Boy we’re all about cultivating the unconditional love between dogs and their owners and we wanted to capture that on camera in our new ad campaign.

“It’s a really fun campaign that captures the warmth and joy that dogs bring to our lives. Because as much as treats are used to reward our pooches or keep them occupied, bringing them joy with a treat or two seems like the least we can do.”

FANTA BACK ON TV FOR HALLOWEEN

New TV advert is part of a wider marketing campaign.

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners has revealed that its Fanta brand will return to television screens in Great Britain in October for a month in the run-up to Halloween.

The new TV advert is part of a wider marketing campaign designed to capitalise on Fanta’s longstanding popularity during the Halloween season – the brand’s value sales grew by 6.5% in the four weeks to Halloween 2020, when one in four flavoured carbonates purchased in retail was a Fanta.

The ‘In the Name of Play’ advert depicts items in a shop coming to life and giving shoppers a fright – and it ends by encouraging consumers to ‘grab a Fanta and scare yourself silly this Halloween’.

The advert builds on the on-pack promotion that has been live on limited-edition packs of Fanta Orange and Fanta Orange Zero since the beginning of September.

Other elements of the multi-million-pound marketing campaign include paid social media, digital and out-of-home advertising, and high-impact in-store activation – all of which also highlight the epic prizes on offer via the on-pack activity.

The campaign provides a light-hearted and fun spin on the Halloween season for consumers, but for retailers the message is a serious one: don’t miss out on shopper demand for soft drinks at Halloween, specifically flavoured carbonates, which enjoyed an extra £5.5m in sales last October.

AUSTRALIAN SINGLE MALTS HIT UK

The distillery uses an original 1930s hybrid copper pot and column still and the whiskies are finished in vintage fortified and premium wine barrels.

Premium spirits distributor Mangrove has brought the Morris Australian Single Malt Signature Whisky and theAustralian Single Malt Muscat Barrel Whisky to the UK.

Morris Whisky is produced in the Rutherglen Distillery, north-east of Melbourne, and named after the Scottish town of the same name.

At the heart of the distillery is an original 1930s hybrid copper pot and column still, which was restored and repurposed for the creation of single malt, and the whiskies are finished in vintage fortified and premium wine barrels.

Since production started in 2016, Morris has engaged the services of whisky maker John McDougall, who has worked with Balvenie, Laphroaig and Springbank. He now consults exclusively to Morris in Australia as Master Distiller.

The late Dr Jim Swan was also a key member of the original Morris Whisky team.

Head Distiller Darren Peck has worked under the tutelage of McDougall for the past five years to craft the whisky. The first barrels were laid down in 2017 and each will mature for at least three years.

Mangrove boss Nick Gillett said: “As the demand for new and interesting whiskies from non-traditional regions continues to explode, Mangrove looks to bring brands into the family which really encourage both the trade and consumers to explore the category. We think Morris is the perfect blend of the old and new world and look forward to enjoying a glass with our customers soon.”

● The whiskies are available now in 70cl bottles (ABV 40%) with an RSP of £54.99.

WOLF BLASS LAUNCHES £1M UK SECRET ESCAPES CAMPAIGN

Treasury Wine Estate invests more than £1m to launch the campaign.

Treasury Wine Estate’s (TWE) premium wine brand Wolf Blass has launched a new campaign in partnership with luxury travel deals company Secret Escapes.

TWE has invested more than £1m in Wolf Blass’ biggest campaign in the UK. The campaign – which is supported across ATL, in store, PR, influencers and social media – gives consumers the opportunity to win redeemable travel credit and prizes worth £1m.

Around 900,000 bottles across the UK have been tagged with prize-winning QR codes as part of the ‘Why Settle When You Can Soar’ campaign. Entrants will have to scan the QR code on the tagged wine bottles to be in with the chance of winning a share of £1m-worth of instant prizes and credits. Prizes include a selection of once-in-a-lifetime holidays, in partnership withSecret Escapes, including: a luxury boutique hotel stay in L’Anse Aux Epines, Grenada; a Kenya beach stay with safari; a winter Lapland wildlife break with optional igloo; a trip to Sri Lanka and the Maldives; and a stay at a beach front hotel in Barbados.

In addition, there are five £250 vouchers available to win and redeem on the Secret Escapes site, and 40,000 winners will be given £25 vouchers to use on an escape of their choice (minimum £125 spend to redeem).All entrants need to do is purchase their Wolf Blass wine of choice and scan the QR code on the tagged label.

Ben Blake, Marketing Director Treasury Wine Estates EMEA, said: “As the UK has been under lockdown and subject to numerous travel restrictions, we wanted to give Wolf Blass customers the chance to soar once again and to take part in new experiences.

“We’ve invested heavily in marketing support for Wolf Blass and plan to continue taking the brand from strength to strength, engaging in memorable activations that put experiences and exploration at the forefront of our consumer engagement strategy.”

● The promotion runs from 1 October to 31 December 2021.

OLD EL PASO INVITES UK TO MARK DAY OF THE DEAD

Five of the SKUs feature a different skull mask to cut out and collect.

Old El Paso has released nine meal kits and sides in limited-edition packs to help people across the country mark the Day of the Dead – the Mexican holiday centred on celebrating the lives of loved ones that have passed away – by throwing their own fiesta.

Five of the SKUs, which are on shelf now until mid-November, feature a different skull mask to cut out and collect. Each pack also displays a QR code for shoppers to easily access Old El Paso’s special Day of the Dead landing page, which features recipes, quizzes, and tips to create the ultimate Mexican fiesta at home.

Activity will be amplified by a six figure media investment, which includes aTV advert running from 4 to 31 October.

JoseAlves,SeniorBrandManageratOldElPaso, said: “We’ve gone bigger and bolder with limited edition packaging across more products than ever before, plus our new landing page with all the tools you need for the perfect party.

“The Day of the Dead celebration is truly aligned with the mission at the heart of our brand – bringing people together to inspire the good noise that happens when we truly connect. And what better way to brighten up a cold dark evening than with family, friends and a fiesta.”

Day of the Dead SKUs include Old El PasoTortilla PocketsMildKit(375g),OldElPaso8TortillaPockets (223g),OldElPasoSmokyBBQFajitaKit(500g),Old El Paso Cheesy Baked Enchilada Kit (663g), Old El Paso 8 Regular Tortillas (326g), Old El Paso Tortilla Nachips Original (185g), Old El Paso Stand N’ Stuff Smoky BBQ Kit (350g), Old El Paso Tortilla Bowls Sea Salt (150g), and Old El Paso Extra Mild Super Tasty Fajita Kit (476g).

ORANGE CHOC PMP

Cadbury Twirl Orange is now available in a 60p price-marked pack. Sales of orange standard chocolate have grown by 47% –outstripping standard chocolate sales – and are worth £25.9m. Cadbury Twirl Orange 60p PMP is available now in cases of 48 x 43g bars.

FUNCTIONAL SWEETS

Chewing gum brand Blockhead has launched strawberry prebiotic sweets, which contain prebiotics and branch chain amino acids to “fuel the body, gut and mind”. The sweets are available from Booker. RSP £1.75.

MATURE RUM

Distillery Ron Santiago de Cuba has launched Ron Santiago de Cuba Añejo 8-year-old (ABV 40%). The liquid is matured in white oak barrels and offers hints of honey, vanilla, cacao and tropical fruit. The rum is distributed in the UK by Justerini & Brooks. RSP £24

LEGENDARY PROMOTION

Monster Energy has unveiled a new partnership with video game Apex Legends.An on-pack promotion is live now on variants from Monster’s core, Juiced and Ultra ranges. Unique codes under ring-pulls unlock exclusive in-game content.

CUSTARD PODS

Premier Foods is launching Bird’s Custard Pods which offer a convenient way to make lumpfree custard. The company is also giving its Ambrosia Deluxe Range a fresh design and new recipes. The brand is being supported by a TV campaign and on-pack promotion.

HALLOWEEN BAKES

Fatherson Bakery has launched a range of cakes for Halloween 2021. The range includes a 12-pack of Trick or Treat cupcakes on a platter (£7.50), a six-pack of chocolate Halloween Fairy Cakes (£3), and a £5.50 Toffee Apple Loaf cake.