Dive Brief:
- Wine brand Franzia unveiled its first marketing campaign in 35 years, "Franz for Life," according to a company news release.
- The campaign includes 60-, 15- and six-second spots featuring a revamped version of the "Golden Girls" theme song, "Thank You for Being a Friend," by Andrew Gold, with the lyrics changed to "Thank you for being a Franz." The videos show people enjoying Franzia wine at various occasions, such as a baby shower, pool party and wedding.
- Franzia will also debut fresh packaging with updated graphics, colors and a new image of its wine pour. The campaign was designed by Mekanism, a San Francisco-based creative agency.
Dive Insight:
With "Franz for Life," Franzia is refreshing and modernizing its image with hopes to gain a foothold among millennial consumers, who are drinking more wine than older generations and enjoy on-the-go products like canned and boxed wines. The brand said it already has a following among baby boomers and Gen X and designed the new campaign around the central message that its wine can be enjoyed at any age over 21 and at any event.
Featuring a new spin on "Thank You for Being a Friend" will likely resonate with millennials, who may have grown up watching "Golden Girls" or have recently discovered the show, which has developed a cult following via video streaming platforms. Nostalgia is a popular marketing trend that more brands are embracing to target the millennial demographic, who tend to respond positively to campaigns around bygone eras. Franzia aims to build awareness with the younger generation, with the goal of drumming up long-term brand loyalty.
Franzia is also the latest booze brand to position itself as a driver of experiences in an effort to stand out in the competitive wine market, where boxed wines are becoming increasingly popular, especially via alcohol delivery services like Drizly and Minibar. Online alcohol delivery sales jumped 32.7% in 2017, according to Slice Intelligence. Wine is the most-ordered item, and rival boxed wine brand Bota Box is one of the most popular brands. Franzia likely sees this as an opportunity to connect with consumers and drive sales through a refreshed brand image.
