Picks of the Week

J20

J2O ADDS SOME FESTIVE SPARKLE

The adult soft drink brand unveils a packaging makeover and on-pack promo.

Adult soft drink J2O is spreading some festive cheer this Christmas with a sparkling pack re-design and on-pack promotion, available now.

A supporting marketing campaign also aims to tap into the nation’s desire for festive social events, especially as so many occasions were missed last year due to lockdown restrictions.

The new shimmering, 100% recyclable J2O multipacks run across the brand’s Orange & Passion Fruit and Apple & Watermelon flavours, as well as the returning Glitterberry variant, to help drive standout on shelf as customers seek drinks to enjoy over the festive season.

The on-pack promotion seeks to engage shoppers even further, with every J2O bottle giving them the chance to win instant cash prizes and add some glitz to their wintry get-togethers through the brand’s Spin to Sparkle app.

J2O’s Christmas activity will also be supported by a £1m national out-of-home advertising campaign which is expected to reach over 67% of all UK adults during key weeks of the season. Head-turning, festive-themed point of sale materials such as baubles and Christmas tree displays will also be available to help bring the occasion to life in stores.

Phil Sanders, Out-of-Home Commercial Director at Britvic, commented: “J2O is perfectly placed to help retailers attract new shoppers to the category, especially during the festive period when the brand brings in 38% of Christmas shoppers.

“By giving consumers the chance to win instant cash prizes, we want to help increase footfall to stores and generate excitement among shoppers, with the newly-designed multipacks of the most popular J2O flavours presenting ideal adult soft

PICKS OF THE WEEK – IRN-BRU

FESTIVE RETURN TO TV SCREENS

The new advert will be supported by special festive packs and multipacks.

Irn-Bru is returning to the nation’s TV screens again this year with the Irn-Bru Snowman.

The advert will be on air throughout the whole of December and will be supported by special festive packs and multipacks across all three variants.

Adrian Troy, Marketing Director at Barr Soft Drinks, said: “Scottish shoppers readily associate Christmas with the Irn-Bru Snowman, creating a feel-good factor which translates into increased demand in the run-up to the festive period, when carbonates are a key profit driver for retailers.

“After lockdown restrictions impacted many planned celebrations last year, Christmas will be bigger than ever in 2021. Soft drinks are increasingly important to retailers at Christmas, showing continuous year-on-year growth.

“Ensuring that you have the right ranges for broad appeal and offering value will be even more crucial, with bigger take-home packs meeting the needs of shoppers planning social gatherings this festive season. ”The TV advert will be supported by a high-impact digital and social media campaign, and forms part of a £6m 2021 brand investment.

Troy added: “We recommend Scottish retailers prominently display the special packs of all three variants of Irn- Bru, Original, Sugar Free and Xtra, in multi-pack and larger formats. They should also try to make use of our impactful Snowman-branded POS, to create in-store theatre and drive incremental category sales.”

PICKS OF THE WEEK

WINTER WARMER

Vimto has brought back its ‘Winter Warmer,’ to give consumers a new winter hot drink option. It is available now in 725ml bottles with vitamin C & D fortification. It delivers Vimto’s secret recipe, made from a blend of fruits, herbs and spices, infused with cinnamon, nutmeg and clove.

MODERN PACKS

KP Snacks has refreshed its Hula Hoops brand with modernised packaging across the range. The packs, rolling out this month, feature vibrant colours, sharp graphics and bold patterns. The design aims to engage and disrupt shoppers, hinting at the flavour in each pack.

RUMMERS RANGE

Rum range Mallows Bottling has launched five flavoured rums. The Rummers brand offers: golden rum, banana, citrus & sea salt, pineapple, and spiced rum. The range – available via Global C&C, Castell Howell and Master of Malt – comes in 70cl with ABVs ranging from 35% to 40%.

DISPOSABLE GEEK

Geek Bar’s flavour range is now available in a 10mg strength disposable vape offering 575 puffs. Flavours include Pink Lemonade, Sweet Strawberry, Mango ice, Passion Fruit, Banana Ice, Sour Apple, Watermelon Ice, Blueberry Ice, Strawberry Ice Cream and Grape.

NEW LOOK TIGER

Tiger Tiger has unveiled a fresh look for its Chinese sauces and ingredients. Packs feature a cream and gold pearlescent design, gold-coloured lids, and dual-language labelling. The brand seeks to bring authentic, easy to use Chinese ingredients to the world foods category.

SPOOKY SELTZERS

Beavertown Brewery has rolled out its first range of hard seltzers. The Ghost range is available in four four flavours – lemon & raspberry, peach & tropical, peach & lemon, and tropical & raspberry. A mixed case of 12 retails at £30. The range is available from Beavertown’s web shop.