SHS Drinks to launch bold new ad campaign for WKD

UK's leading ready-to-drink (RTD) brand WKD is set to get a bold new ad campaign this autumn.

Owner SHS Drinks is supporting the brand that pioneered the initial development of the RTD category and yet still remains at its absolute forefront with a highly relevant and engaging approach which is set to turn heads.

The £2m campaign kicks off late September with ad support running throughout the remainder of 2024. The lead out-of-home (OOH) thrust of striking 48-sheet and 6-sheet posters will be complemented by arresting 96-sheet sites which will create additional interest in key high traffic areas in prime locations.

The strategy behind the campaign is to re-enforce consumer recognition of WKD as "the original and best" RTD, with all executions focusing solely on the lead WKD Blue variant. Using the brand’s trademark humour, the impactful, eye-catching posters are designed to talk to a key 18-21 demographic, whilst leaving most others in the dark and wondering "what’s that all about?"

The language the ads use will connect with – and raise knowing smiles amongst – the target audience, whilst leaving others puzzled as to the true meaning. The lead execution states "CEO of Blueness", referencing how young people use the term "CEO of" to mean "what you’re known for". Parodying Instagram images, another execution shows both the front and blank back of a bottle of WKD and states "Front Shot for the Poster/Rear Shot for the Gram"; another ad declares "Pure Blue Aura", which is a term inferring how cool something is and meaning here that WKD Blue is really cool.

The tongue-in-cheek lines reflect WKD’s fun take on life and will be appreciated by an in-the-know audience. Additionally, some of the ad creatives will be tailored to siting locations; for example, "Any Buses Going to Napa?" and "Any Trains Going to Napa?" will appear at bus stops and trains stations respectively, referencing the popular party resort of Ayia Napa in Cyprus. The overall outdoor campaign comprises a significant number of different poster executions, allowing it to remain fresh and interesting over the length of the activity.

Following the same humorous urban-speak theme, the nationwide poster campaign will be supplemented by 30-second ads on Spotify. Through the tight targeting of music genre and leading podcast subject matter, these radio-style ads will talk specifically to WKD consumers, appearing within content that they know and love.

Sampling

By the end of October, 150,000 bottles of 4% ABV WKD will have been given away to the brand’s target-market, re-enforcing the major media campaign and driving trial of the triple-distilled vodka RTD. In an innovative approach, WKD will utilise sampling in student halls of residence, as well as at carefully selected workplace environments which heavily over-index versus the brand’s core audience.

Alison Gray, head of brand – WKD at SHS Drinks, says: “Our bold and forthright ad campaign will raise brand awareness from the all-important start of the new university term right through to the key festive period. We’re making a significant investment to engage consumers and grow additional throughputs for stockists.

“Our posters will raise smiles amongst our target audience, sales amongst our customer base, and maybe even a little confusion amongst those not young enough (or young-at-heart enough) to be up to speed with the latest street-slang. Those who we want to ‘get it’ will definitely ‘get it’, those who don’t need to get it, probably won’t! WKD is, and always has been, the CEO of Blueness and this campaign allows us to proudly proclaim that – and a whole lot more – to a receptive consumer audience.”