WKD has revealed this year’s line-up of special-edition pack formats to promote the brand’s continued association with the hit ITV2 and ITVX series Love Island. 2023 sees WKD celebrate a third year as the Official Alcohol Partner of Love Island by launching a new take-home flavour and introducing a major on-pack promotion across a range of co-branded Love Island SKUs.
Timed to tie-in with Series 10 of a programme format which has transcended from TV show to cultural phenomenon, the packs will be on-shelf for the new series which runs across the summer.
New Flavour
Extending a topical tropical theme, WKD Orange & Passionfruit is to be the brand’s hero flavour for 2023 and will be available to retailers as a limited-edition variant. Offered both in 700ml glass bottles with a striking co-branded Love Island design, and in 250ml slimline cans in WKD variety 10-packs, the 2023 addition to the take home range draws on the flavour’s proven success in the on-trade where it is the brand’s second fastest-selling variant.
Available in both standard and PMP formats, bottle labels feature tropical palm tree ferns and Love Island’s iconic sparkling gold heart motifs; the striking cerise and orange labels are complemented by campaign-printed cerise cap closures. Price-marked at £3.79 and available exclusively to independents, a neck label on PMP bottles signals that the new variant is included in the "Two for £6.50" offer currently running across the entire WKD 700ml PMP range. The limited-edition Love Island bottles are set to be the summer’s ‘must-have’ item for fans of the show and WKD.
On-pack Promotion
WKD brand owner SHS Drinks is backing the UK’s favourite RTD3 with its biggest and best Love Island promotion so far. Running across WKD Blue 4 x 250ml can £5.49 price-marked packs and WKD Blue and WKD variety 10 x 250ml can multipacks, purchasers will have the chance to win Mediterranean island holidays or thousands of other prizes.
Via an instant-win mechanic using unique redeemable codes printed inside card multipack outers, purchasers of promotional packs can win one of five holidays for two people to either Ibiza or Mallorca. Thousands of other prizes are also up for grabs, including exclusive co-branded WKD Love Island merchandise items and £3-off-next-purchase vouchers.
Promotional multipacks will utilise existing barcodes and replace standard format counterparts for approximately 10 weeks.
The 2023 Love Island partnership provides WKD with extensive co-branding opportunities and is the focal point of this year’s marketing support for the brand. Aside from the special packs, plans to leverage WKD’s exclusive Official Alcohol Partner status and maximise the tie-in include depot displays with supporting POS, and extensive social and digital activity, working with key influencers Ron and Lana, runners-up in the previous series.
This summer 2023 activity comes at a time when WKD sales are at a ten-year high4 and the brand leads the field as the no.1 RTD in both the on-trade3 and take home3.
“With an exotic new flavour in 700ml bottles and 250ml cans and our best-ever Love Island on-pack promotion, WKD is all set for summer," said Alison Gray, head of brand – WKD at SHS Drinks. "All the indicators prove that Love Island is without doubt ‘A Big Thing’ for our core 18 to 24-year-old consumers: they love it with a passion, and our impactful 2023 activity will drive sales for stockists."
