Spiked still water brand splashes into 'Anything but Flat' campaign

Dive Brief:

FIFCO USA, formerly North American Breweries, launched the first marketing campaign for its new spiked still water brand Pura Still, according to a press release shared with Marketing Dive.
The "Anything but Flat" campaign, created with agency of record Burns Group, highlights Pura Still's non-carbonated features and includes in-store, digital, social and out-of-home efforts as well as two 15-second video ads and shareable GIFs.
Pura Still is also launching the product with a partnership with professional soccer player Carli Lloyd, a sweepstakes and a trip to the FIFA Women's World Cup in June.

Dive Insight:

FIFCO USA is making a strong push to boost brand awareness for its new better-for-you alcohol drink among active millennial women. Without "annoying carbonated bubbles," the brand claims that Pura Still is more refreshing and suited for active occasions, such as beach events or pool parties. Launching Pura Still and its first marketing campaign around the new year appears to be strategically timed to gain attention and sales when people often make health-related resolutions.

Partnering with Carli Lloyd and linking up with the FIFA Women's World Cup is in tune with the health and active image Pura Still aims to embody. The connection with the athletic influencer could help Pura Still reach female consumers, who are drinking more alcohol but have been traditionally overlooked by alcohol brands.

The "Anything but Flat" creative is showcasing the Pura Still's personality and focusing on its refreshing qualities and fit for active lifestyles to differentiate it from the popular spiked seltzer products. Retail sales of hard seltzers in the U.S. totaled $336 million in the 12 months ending Aug. 11, a 168% increase over the previous year, per Nielsen data cited in a Chicago Tribune report.

Major booze brands have continued to launch new products that are lower-sugar, lower-carb and contain less alcohol to capture the growing cohort of health-conscious consumers with marketing creative. Diageo brand Ketel One, for example, last year launched Ketel One Botanical, which contains no added sugar, artificial flavors or sweeteners and 73 calories. To promote the healthier-for-you beverage, the brand last fall partnered with the Girls' Night In Club and influencers on cocktail recipes and tips for hosting "girls' night" events. Another Diageo brand, Smirnoff, debuted a campaign, titled "Welcome to the Fun%," to tout its non-GMO Smirnoff No. 21 product. The push featured actors Jenna Fischer and Ted Danson and "Queer Eye" star Jonathan Van Ness, a shift away from the recent trend of choosing influencers over celebrities in branding.