WKD loved up with Love Island
WKD, Northern Ireland’s no.1 RTD, is amplifying its relationship with Love Island this summer with a witty series of TV ads, eye-catching on-pack executions, and a high-profile ex-contestant leading the charge to spread the love on social media.
The no.1 RTD brand1 is the Official Alcohol Partner of ITV2 and ITV Hub’s Love Island. The exclusive deal provides WKD enviable associations with the phenomenally successful programme. With this series’ episodes securing 2021’s biggest digital channel audiences, WKD is making significant impact with consumers and driving incremental sales for stockists through its Love Island tie-in.
TV campaign
WKD is back on TV throughout the summer with a sequence of humorous ads showcasing the Love Island association. The executions employ the brand’s trademark wit and feature a group of WKD bottles enjoying life in their very own sun-drenched villa. Mirroring recognisable settings from the show and drawing on well-known Love Island themes, the ads take a tongue-in-cheek look at Island life. The campaign features the strapline ‘WKD coupled up with Love Island; Love it!’. Aside from the core TV channel, the ads are also viewed extensively through non-TV devices, via the hugely popular Love Island app, and across WKD social channels.
Limited Edition Packs
To re-enforce the high-profile Love Island association at the point of purchase, two unique initiatives feature on almost one million WKD packs:
Two impactful Love Island co-branded designs appear on limited edition 700ml bottles of WKD Pink. A fully sleeved approach delivers ultimate shelf stand-out, creating a powerful in-store presence; this format is the summer’s ‘must-have’ RTD pack, with consumers keen to secure one for those all-important Instagram shots. Additionally, a special Love Island label design complements the approach of the sleeved pack and ensures that promotional stock reaches all channels and is accessible by as many consumers as possible. Both bottles are available in regular and £2.99 price-marked pack (PMP) versions – with the PMP configurations available exclusively to independents.
With vibrant, striking graphics featuring inflatable pink flamingos, a co-branded consumer competition offering opportunities to win thousands of items of exclusive Love Island and WKD merchandise or money off future purchases appears on key WKD multipacks. The activity – which runs across 4x275ml WKD Blue (PMP only, priced at £4.99); 10-packs (10x275ml WKD Blue and 10x275ml WKD variety pack) and 12x275ml WKD Blue – provides a chance to win with every pack purchased.
Share the love
To share the love and provide the inside line on Island life, WKD has enlisted previous contestant and leading social media influencer Chris Taylor as brand ambassador. Through a series of weekly videos created exclusively for WKD, Chris offers comment and insight to his 1.1 million followers.
Further activities on WKD social channels ensure that those hungry for gossip and extra details about participants aren’t left wanting. A comprehensive social media campaign includes competitions to win merchandise and sought-after prizes, with one lucky winner set to secure the ultimate in money-can’t-buy prizes: a pair of tickets to the Love Island Final Screening party, interviews with Islanders’ friends and family and behind-the-scenes footage of the sun-kissed location and villa accommodation
Perfect match
Alison Gray, head of brand – WKD, at owner SHS Drinks, says: “WKD and Love Island are the perfect match: we were made for each other. With our witty TV ads and a million packs both spotlighting the Love Island association – plus chances to win tickets to the programme’s Live Final – we know we chose the right partner. Our consumers enjoy Love Island with a passion, and our high-profile coupling up with the programme is driving summer sales for retailers in Northern Ireland.”
