bloom's blog

This year's top Christmas drinks

Christmas is fast approaching; supermarkets are stocking up on ever more treats and delights and our televisions have transformed into beacons of feel-good advertising.

As the social season arrives, the drinks category in particular is expecting a boost in sales; last year 17% of all adult soft drink sales were sold in December, equating to £20.5m worth (The Grocer).  Naturally brands seek to maximise this boost.  Here we feature five of the most interesting yuletide offerings and debate the likely forerunners of new trends.

 

J20  Limited edition Glitter Juice Drinks

A grown-up Christmas twist and an innovation bound to generate more sales.  The glitter juice drinks drive interest and differentiate themselves in a very positive way.

Shloer

Limited edition Berry Punch is the newest offering from the adult special soft drinks brand.  Created specifically for Christmas this variant will add to the popular range and enhance the brand positioning as a drink best served shared over the winter months.

Stella Artois

Though a revival of their Originally Crafted for Christmas campaign, Stella Artois are using digital and traditional media to align themselves with the festivities.  This includes a transformation of their facebook page, which now includes a free download of an original Christmas jazz album Under the Christmas Star.  The designs may not be novel but we appreciate their act of generosity.

Copella

Drink-Me-Hot Winter Warmer was an obvious market gap that Copella have successfully filled.  As a non-alcoholic alternative to mulled wine we suspect it will fare well, however taking on more traditional winter warmers such as hot chocolate and Horlicks may be too far for the brand to stretch.

 

Coca Cola

With a combined total of well over 30,000 official Coca Cola Christmas facebook fans, it would be impossible not to mention the drink in any seasonal commentary.  It’s sure sign of the times that the campaign will now operate on a more integrated, multichannel basis than ever before.  It has also made a conspicuous effort to be more environmentally friendly (Popsop), revamping their world-famous Piccadilly sign to save 20% more energy.

French Connection campaign: ahead of a trend?

Ads were once copy heavy.  Back in the 60's, images were used to display product/beauty and lengthy copy communicated the brand's benefit.

By the 80's and 90's the clamour for attention demanded a different approach. Audiences had neither time nor headspace to read words, so arresting imagery took precedent.

Now it seems some advertising is striking a happy balance of the two.

We love French Connection's  2011 executions with their unusual imagery and thought provoking copy. The ads, which are part of a broader integrated campaign, serve to disrupt both the high-street fashion category and the brand's history (consigning the over-used FCUK idea to the rubbish heap).

It's refreshing approach from French Connection. We'd expect nothing less...

 

Friends of Bloom: Emma Cowlam

Our congratulations to Emma Cowlam, a friend of Bloom, who is now showcasing a range of hand stitched illustrations inpsired by the London Fashion scene, at the V&A shop.

A graduate of Chelsea Art School in textile design, Emma designs and produces beautiful illustrations using unique combination of illustration and sewing techniques.

Top charity marketing strategies

In May, this year, UK charities reported an increase in regular donations for the third successive year (source: Rapidata). This despite the country teetering on the brink of a double dip recession.

Reassuring figures that not only highlight the generosity of the British people but also the resilience of the charity sector.

There are currently around 170,000 charities in England and Wales.  It’s a crowded sector where charities continually have to work harder and smarter to get their, often complex, messages across. Brand and communication strategies are key.

We look at 5 interesting cause-related strategies that have recently been used to great effect: 

1.  Create a memorable event

Movember has become a hugely popular movement since it started in 2004, supporting prostate and cancer charities. Over 480,000 people worldwide got involved last year raising $48.5M. An overtly visible, ownable, relevant and self-mocking occasion-based campaign, it is a great example of marketing at its best.

Due to its populatrity and worthy appeal many brands are clamouring to be a part of the movement.  HP Sauce, A suit that fits, and Byron Burgers are just a few of the brands that are rewarding charitable stewards this November.

 

2.  Partner with a large consumer brand

Get it right and this relationship will be equally rewarding for both parties. The charity gets instant exposure and awareness amongst a broad and relevant audience. The brand benefits from the warm halo of social responsibility. UNICEF, thanks to it’s “one pack = on vaccine” partnership with P&G's Pampers, is now aiming to eliminate neonatal tetanus in the developing world. 

It's a win win but, as a brand owner, be sure to be 100% committed to the cause. Consumers will quickly sniff out a temporary or half-hearted association driven by the interests of a PR wash or commercial gain. You only have to look at the backlash caused by KFC's alliance with a breast cancer charity in the US last year.

 

3.  Use disruptive communication

Where budgets are tight, it's often the disruptive campaigns that work to best effect.

Action for Children launched a guerrilla marketing campaign around the streets of Glasgow earlier this year that couldn't fail to catch our attention.

Through a clever combination of message-driven street art and hidden speakers playing recordings of children around the city, the campaign got national coverage and everyone talking about the cause.  It's a complex message delivered in in an engaging and relevant way. The beauty of this campaign is the use of technology to drive its audience to action. QR codes were also used to direct a technology savvy audience to an online petition to lobby the goverment to increase the amount of money they spend of indentifying children at risk of neglect. 

 

4.  The power of many: join a collaborative commercial initiative

Everyclick.com is a free internet search engine just like Google or Yahoo, but for every search made the site contributes half of its revenue to affiliated charities.  This is a great example creating an alternative channel for people to raise money simply through their existing behaviours. Smaller charities that don't have the marketing budgets can utilise this platform to drive funding to them. The beauty of this platform is in its transparency, clearly articulating the monetary amounts raised and for whom as and when it happens.

5.  Be in the right place at the right time

No British festival would be complete without the Festival Samaritans. Their tents have been a familiar feature at events for over 35 years now. This year they were present at 17 festivals offering a place of calm and warmth amidst the madness, where any festival goer can stop by for a cup of tea and a chat.

Not only does the charity access those in need within a relevant environment but it is also a strong platform for generating credibility and awareness amongst a younger audience. If they don't come to you then  reach out to them.

 

These are just 5 innovative strategies that charities have used to raise awareness and funding to best effect. Please feel free to contribute any other great examples. We'd love to hear them.