Spunky Octogenarian Pushes Smirnoff's New 'Ice Electric'
The Non-Carbonated, Neon-Colored Liquid Breaks New Booze Ground
Editor's Pick
Smirnoff Ice has picked 87-year-old Instagram sensation Baddie Winkle to plug a new line extension that looks a lot like an alcoholic sports drink.
The drink, called Smirnoff Ice Electric, is a first-of-its-kind noncarbonated flavored malt beverage that was created to appeal to music and dance fans, particularly devotees of electronic dance music, or EDM. While most flavored malt beverages are bubbly, Ice Electric is decidedly not. It also comes in a resealable 16-ounce plastic bottle. The formulation and on-the-go packaging is geared toward consumers who might want to drink while dancing, rather than take a break to pop open a beer, according to Diageo-owned Smirnoff.
"It's completely unique to what exists in the segment right now," said Heather Boyd, brand director of flavored malt beverages for Diageo-Guinness USA. "It doesn't spill and it's noncarbonated, so you can shake it and it won't spurt around." And unlike beer, it won't leave you bloated, she added.
Debut flavors Electric Berry and Electric Mandarin are brightly colored with a look and taste that resembles Gatorade or Powerade. Despite the similarities, Ms. Boyd said Ice Electric will not be marketed like a boozy sports drink. "It's not a performance drink; it's not a sports drink; it's not an energy drink," she said.
But the campaign, by 72andSunny, does position the drink as something to imbibe while active, specifically while dancing. Ads show Ms. Winkle wearing a metallic blue bodysuit and boogying down with many people half her age. The tagline is "Keep It Moving."
Booze brands typically use younger spokespeople. But Ms. Winkle, whose real name is Helen Ruth Van Winkle, has a social media following as strong as any A-list millennial celeb. She has 1.8 million followers on Instagram, where her tagline is "Stealing your man since 1928." Her page is full of pictures of her in revealing outfits and shirts carrying provocative sayings like "Everybody must get stoned." Last year, she hung out backstage with Miley Cyrus as the singer rehearsed for the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards. The New York Daily News has called Ms. Winkle an "over-the-hill rebel" who "has been the cool grandma of Instagram users."
Smirnoff Ice Electric is also running spots starring deaf dance teacher Chris Fonseca. He was recently used in a campaign for the core Smirnoff brand called "We're Open." It is part of Smirnoff's push to "celebrate diversity and move people to be more inclusive," Smirnoff Marketing Director Julie Bramham said in a statement in March.
Read more about the campaign over at AdAge.com.
Credits
- Date
- Apr 18, 2016
- Brand :
- Smirnoff
- Client :
- Smirnoff
- Agency :
- 72andSunny
- Senior Vice President :
- Matt Bruhn
- Senior Vice President, Content :
- Tim Parkinson
- Director, Global Marketing :
- Ignacio Navarro
- Global Senior Brand Manager :
- Eileen Hanna
- Executive Creative Director :
- Guillermo Vega
- Managing Director :
- James Townsend
- Director, Production :
- Lora Schulson
- Senior Producer :
- Kim Cross
- Production Coordinator :
- Emma Ogiens
- Creative Director :
- Adolfo Alcala
- Creative Director :
- Brandon Pierce
- Senior Writer :
- Mikio Bradley
- Senior Designer :
- David Goss
- Designer :
- Danny Demers
- Junior Designer :
- Pedro Sampaio
- Junior Writer :
- Colin Frawley
- Group Brand Director :
- Karla Stewart
- Brand Director :
- Andy Silva
- Senior Brand Manager :
- Emily Hoyle
- Brand Coordinator :
- Sara Consagra
- Business Affairs Manager :
- Laura Fraser
- Director, Strategy :
- Tom Callard
- Director :
- Zachary Heinzerling
- Executive Producer :
- Melissa Culligan
- Director, Photography :
- Stuart Winecoff
- Line Producer :
- Veronica Balta
- Editorial Company :
- Cut + Run
- Editor :
- Sam Ostrove
- Post Producer :
- Evyn Bruce
- Assistant Editor :
- Beau Dickson
- Colorist :
- Tom Poole (Co3)
- Sound Design :
- Q Department
- Music Supervisor :
- Jessica Dierauer
- Music :
- Into Composition by Finger Music
- Licensed Track :
- Breakout by Arnie Love
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