Ribena Launches New Brand Platform 'Blackcurrant Artistry since 1938'

A new £6.2M marketing campaign from Ribena will tap into the heritage of the brand and its credentials as the master crafter of blackcurrants in a modern and entertaining way. The launch of Ribena’s new brand platform – Blackcurrant Artistry since 1938 – will playfully tell the story of the true craft behind Ribena reimagining this very British drink as a work of art. Created and produced by agency J. Walter Thompson (newly merged into Wunderman Thompson), it will showcase the quality, natural origins and authenticity of the Ribena brand across TV, video-on-demand, YouTube, out of home, social media, sampling and digital support. 

The Blackcurrant Artistry campaign uses a combination of beautiful imagery and tongue-in-cheek humour to help drive Ribena’s relevance with consumers of all ages. It spans across the range, including Ribena’s 500ml ready-to-drink format, squash, cartons, and the new Ribena Frusion sub-brand. This will help build on the success of the brand’s previous Ribenary campaign. It will include a strong focus on the new Ribena Frusion range, a line-up of blackcurrant waters naturally infused with real fruits and botanicals, which hit shelves this month. 

“We’ve conducted extensive consumer testing on our new campaign, with really strong results. In fact, in System1 testing this year’s Ribena TVCs are in the top 13% 1 of all UK adverts for share growth potential,” says Charlotte Flook, head of Ribena at Lucozade Ribena Suntory.

“Ribena’s blackcurrants are one of the most distinctive assets in the soft drinks market, so we are going back to our roots for a new beginning, to focus more on what goes into the heart of Ribena. By communicating the launch of Ribena Frusion as part of a brand new, modern platform we are confident that we can take this even further and increase our appeal with adult consumers”. 

The campaign will launch with a brand-led TV campaign from the 15th of April followed by a Ribena Frusion focus from May. Outdoor ads will reach 37 million consumers, while video-on-demand and YouTube ads will drive 20 million impressions through summer. 

They will be supported with social media messaging across Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook driving 21 million impressions through to May, and digital support including a bespoke geo-mobile campaign near stores to drive purchase.

Finally, to get Ribena Frusion into the hands of new consumers, a sampling and experiential campaign will see 600,000 bottles of Ribena Frusion given away. The new range of infused blackcurrant waters taps into the consumer need for tasty hydration while bringing incrementality to the category. 

“Ribena Frusion is a huge launch for the Ribena brand, and caters for a growing segment of the population. By promoting Ribena Frusion as part of the wider brand message and emphasising our Blackcurrant Artistry Since 1938, we are communicating our heritage, our focus on innovating to meet the consumer needs of today, and bringing new consumers into the Ribena brand,” concludes Charlotte Flook. 

Simone Forster, chief growth officer at Wunderman Thompson UK says, “We are very proud of the new work which is the result of a strong partnership and really celebrates the brand’s natural passion and commitment to this tiny but powerfully tasty British fruit. We believe the new brand platform and campaign will shift perceptions and connect the brand with a wider audience within the ever-evolving and challenging soft drinks category.”

Jason Berry, Wunderman Thompson UK’s creative director says, “Ribena asked us to celebrate their blackcurrants and return to the farm to tell a provenance story. That opened an amusing door to reimagine their farmers as dedicated, obsessed artists. Thanks to a great relationship with the client we took risks and had fun with the idea.”