Desperados set for summer promotions with Space and AnalogFolk
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Desperados, the original tequila-flavoured premium packaged lager, owned by HEINEKEN has appointed Space and AnalogFolk to share creative duties for the brand for 2012.
Heineken, which assumed exclusive responsibility for the Desperados brand in all UK on and off-trade sales channels (from SHS sales & marketing) earlier this year, has tasked the two agencies to develop a highly engaging experiential and digital communications platform, designed to connect the Desperados community and encourage them to share their experiences. Starcom MediaVest will be planning and buying on and offline media.
Building on the success of the previous year’s activity for Desperados, integrated marketing agency, Space, will be creating an integrated consumer experience plan designed to bring the brand to life for both new and existing audiences across the UK. This will include sponsorship of three major UK music and sports festivals, national off-trade support and a large-scale on-trade experiential and sampling campaign.
Desperados will host its own stage at three major UK festivals in 2012:
- · Parklife Weekender in Manchester (9th – 10th June)
- · Relentless Boardmasters in Newquay (10th – 11th August)
- · Relentless Freeze in Battersea, London (26th – 27th October).
Space has worked with Clash, the music title, and Vice magazine, as well as Festival promoters, to curate an exciting and inspiring line-up for the events, blending established acts with up-and-coming game-changers that will appeal to the brand’s target market. There will also be unique music performances at the festivals to provide an unexpected twist on tried and tested experiences.
On-trade activity will feature live performances in up to 400 selected pubs, clubs and bars that fit perfectly with the Desperados audience. In addition, there will be a focus on visibility and branding, with premium Desperados merchandise and inventory installed into participating outlets. All activity will be supported by Desperados art installations, being developed for large canvas in outlets with appropriate space.
AnalogFolk, Desperados’ global digital marketing agency, will be leveraging these experiences through a digital and social media campaign aimed at giving the target audience, aged 18 – 24, access to all Desperados experiences. As part of the brand’s digital and social media plans, AnalogFolk are managing content distribution and community development primarily via Facebook and Twitter but also throughout a social media ecosystem designed to reach the widest number of consumers.
To gain the widest reach, for both on and offline activities, the digital and social media campaign will coincide with AnalogFolk’s global digital strategy and communications campaign, which includes a brand new website designed for sharing Desperados content from music and sports ambassadors around the world. The site will feature Desperados parties and events from other countries as well as a short play film developed by Desperados global creative agency, Dufresne Corrigan Scarlett. This will debut in the UK in July and allows viewers to immerse themselves into the Desperados story and interact with the characters and events in the film.
David Atkinson, managing partner at Space, comments: “This year we plan to deliver an unforgettable Desperados experience at three key festivals. Desperados has been an unprecedented success over the past few years and is one of the fastest-growing premium packaged lagers in the UK. Our goal is to make 2012 the best year yet for the brand. We have heightened our ambitions and expectations and believe that Desperados relationship with its young urban drinkers will deepen as a result of these immersive and engaging experiences.”
Jason Wills, senior brand manager, Desperados and Tiger at Heineken UK, says: “As a team, we continuously seek to stretch engagement with our Desperados audience through amazing real world experiences and then share those experiences with the widest possible audience within our target group. Space and AnalogFolk have created a very exciting plan for 2012, which will meet our objectives and drive the Desperados brand to another level.”
