“We believe we have the best tasting energy drink and cocktail mixer in the category”, said Ru-El Burford, the company’s Brand Architect/Marketing Director who also handles creative development.“
models to break into a hotly contested category dominated by brands owned by corporate giants Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Hansen and perennial leader/category founder Red Bull. Focusing their efforts around a new tagline ‘Energy for Life’ rather than the former ‘Get Struck!’, the company has embraced a belief that extra energy is something that everybody needs and can use, not just the usual 18-34 male target; a consumer demo which
they believe has been over-marketed to. This led to a revamp of everything from package design to a full brand repositioning both of which have continued to pay dividends. Asked about the differences in Liquid Lightning’s strategy as compared to other energy drinks, Burford said, “Traditionally, the major energy drink brands have all communicated similar attributes and hence, have created a monolithic stereotype about the product and category. We’ve curated that approach by developing a strategy based on our belief that consumer brand engagement matures over time as do consumers themselves. As such, not only does our strategy facilitate a new style of communication it also tells the dynamic ‘story’ of our brand as both it and our consumers’ lifestyles evolve. This allows our brand and our consumers to have a relevant ‘dialogue’
The most significant benefits of the new approach are seen in the secured placement in over 450 big box retail supermarkets in the A&P chain including Waldbaums and Pathmark, deals inked with two of the North East’s largest distributors, FEDWAY and VICTORY BEVERAGE INC. and brand exclusivity, trumping former incumbent Red Bull at Blue Mountain and Camelback, two of the most popular ski resorts in the region, all
examples of wins gained by the sales teams under the direction of owners Charles and Joe Musumeci, Greg Piagesi and Director of Sales/Emerging Markets, TJ Eaton. The company expects to increase their consumer visibility and engagement via a street effort deploying print campaigns such as the‘What Vodka (Rum etc.) Needs’series, ‘Cocktail Envy’, ‘Love Salt’, ‘Grab One’, ‘Setting It Straight’ and the soon to come ‘Energy For
Life’ ads which will star among others, Chad Szeliga, drummer for the platinum selling group Breaking Benjamin. The ads are expected to ‘speak’ to the brand’s expanded consumer target; a wide 16-40 age and gender balanced demo. In recognition of that demo’s varied likes, the strategy simultaneously segments and correlates their lifestyles to key areas such as art, fashion and music while adding a few twists to the norm such
as their Emerging Icon series which profiles talented new influencers. Brand activity in the lifestyle areas is designed to include integration via sponsorships but more surprisingly, partnerships which extend the LL brand into non-traditional areas such as innovation in product design, a college targeted Brand Lab series managed by Emerging Markets and National Sales Director TJ Eaton, a market wide ‘ Innovate Tomorrow. Today’ (IT2) idea incubator, an upcoming Bartenders’ ‘MIXOFF Challenge’ and a series of targeted philanthropic efforts.
Scheduled to launch in the next 30-45 days, the wild postings will be supplemented by out of home, radio and branded experiential installations throughout the North East.
