14,000
Number of nationwide independent retailers that stock within the first 10 weeks
28%
Total soft drink category growth in Bestway depots during the first 4 weeks of launch
£1.5m
Sales generated in the first 3 months
Once in a blue moon
We knew that Lucozade’s launch had the potential to be the biggest in the brand’s history: it was the first time three brand new sub-brands, Alert, Energy, and Sport, would launch simultaneously. Alone, each drink has its own flavour profile and target shopper, together they’d be known as ‘Blucozade.’
Plus, Suntory is one of our longest, most trusted clients. We know the target market and we know who forms the backbone: taste-driven, convenience-led, impulse buyers who love novelty. Blucozade is perfect for them.
The opportunity to boost sales (and rejuvenate our client’s profile in the process) was tantalising. But before Blucozade could fly off the shelves, it first had to win its place on them, which made the wholesale market the perfect place to start.
The Brief
Pitch the best, revitalize the brand
We had 5 clear marketing objectives for this campaign:
Get Bestway’s Backing
The UK's biggest independent cash-and-carry and delivery wholesaler, Bestway, supplies thousands of independent shops. Get through Bestway’s doors, and you’ll get through the doors of 100,000+ independent retailers.
Target independent retailers
Specifically, we wanted as many independent retailers as possible to see the display within the first 2 weeks, and purchase within 3.
Promote on-the-spot sales
Availability was crucial: retailers needed to be able to buy all three variants there-and-then, so the display needed to be large enough to contain product, clear enough to differentiate, and simple enough to restock.
Amplify the brand & drive long term success
Although for this particular campaign Alert, Energy and Sport were under the umbrella of one launch, each one needs to standalone in the market longterm, thus triple-brand differentiators were key.
Create social buzz
…And get wholesale customers sharing the story.
From palette predicaments…
Our first concepts stayed close to the recognizable Lucozade brand: blue with orange accents. However, in a depot full of multi-coloured competitor POS, we knew the orange would dilute the launch’s identity, and the product’s fresh new angle would be lost.
How We Did It
01 Print testing
Rather than finalise the palette on screen, we tested it in print. This steered the decision toward a bolder, blues-only direction and confirmed it would stand alone against busy depot colours.
02 Triple archway tunnel
Side walls carried large-format product cutouts and branding panels, with replenishable pallet displays directly underneath. This both made the structure genuinely interactive, and visually reinforced the concept of three brand new flavours.
03 Integrally strong corrugated curves
We crafted all arch uprights, horizontals, side panels and giant products in EB flute. This was genuinely challenging to achieve but worth it: the material is flexible enough to create smooth curves, and strong enough to go without visually unappealing, additional supports.
04 A swoosh that shines
The ‘NEW Blucozade’ swoosh was digitally 5-colour printed on a separate Mirriboard panel, to catch the light against the rest of the structure (which was 4-colour digitally printed).
05 Simple restocking
Replaceable product pallets were integrated into the sidewalls beneath each branded panel, so stock could be easily replenished.
06 Efficient & environmentally sound
Print layouts were optimised and embellishments fitted around other components to minimise material waste, whilst modular arches kept production economical and let each tunnel ship flatpacked for ease and simplicity.
07 97% recycled AND 100% recyclable
Not only was all the corrugate used integrally strong, it was 97% recycled and fully recyclable. (A stat we’re extremely proud of!)
08 Five tunnels in highest footfalls
Five complete tunnels were built for key Bestway depots and installed by CPM merchandisers in prime, front-of-depot areas. This drove all-important early distribution to support sales, and amplified the campaign’s success from day-one.
A rare example of early POS development influencing overall campaign look and feel, this was a truly collaborative exercise that broke all expectations. We united creative visualisation, structural realisation and retailer buy-in to go above and beyond our client’s objectives.
The stats speak for themselves:
£1.5m sales in 3 months, the most successful NPD launch in Suntory’s history.
Blucozade contributed 28% of total soft drink category growth in Bestway depots during the first 4 weeks of launch.
By the end of week 1, depots with Blucozade tunnels had sold +104% more product than those without.
And by the end of week 2, stats were still strong, selling +68% more than non-tunnel depots.
Ten weeks after launch nearly 14,000 nationwide retailers had stocked Blucozade.
The Results
Bestway’s most successful launch in 3 years, and the most successful new product development (NPD) launch in Suntory's history
‘Our teams are motivated and buzzing from the excitement of this brilliant collaboration, and committed to bringing innovation and excitement to launches - celebrating the fantastic sales performance!’
Bestway Wholesale
