WKD to double-date Love Island in 2023

Leading RTD brand WKD is building on its hugely successful two-year association as the Official Alcohol Partner of Love Island by announcing a deal to expand the collaboration for a further two series in 2023.

2023 will mark a step-change in the programme’s on-air presence with two separate series of the hit ITV format airing in the same year for the first time ever.

WKD will be the Official Alcohol Partner for both Series 9 (January – March) and Series 10 (summer).

With sales at a ten-year high, WKD said the increase in exposure presented by an additional series in the same year offers the brand “double the opportunities to amplify its association with the highly popular ITV2 show, double the opportunities to engage with consumers and double the opportunities to grow sales for stockists.”

The 2023 partnership will provide WKD with extensive co-branded opportunities and be the focal point of the brand’s marketing support. Plans to leverage WKD’s exclusive Official Alcohol Partner status and maximise the tie-in will kick-off in January with Series 9 and will include social, digital and influencer activity.

The 2023 association will mark the third consecutive year that WKD has partnered with Love Island, with previous linkups being positively received by consumers and customers alike.

The latest deal comes on the back of two hugely significant performance milestones for the UK’s favourite RTD, with total WKD brand value across the on and off-trade at a ten-year high.

“Consumers benefited from significant distribution levels and excellent continuity of availability even at the height of the pandemic, and now that they are again able to enjoy WKD in the on-trade, many have also stayed with the brand as their take home RTD of choice,” the brand said.

As well as holding the lead position in take home, WKD has also regained the no.1 RTD spot in the on-trade through a combination of volume rate-of-sale growth and key distribution gains such as Rekom, the UK’s largest specialist operator of late-night bars and clubs, with 47 venues across seven brands nationwide.

“To be teaming up with Love Island for a third year is testimony to just how successful the association has been and how well it has gone down with both customers and consumers. As the programme itself so clearly demonstrates, finding the perfect partner is tricky, but when you know, you know – and we believe there’s no better match for WKD than Love Island,” Alison Gray, head of brand – WKDat SHS Drinks, said.

“The success of the partnership is a key reason behind WKD’s impressive recent performance. Consumers and stockists can look forward to another year of fun, innovative Love Island-related activity from WKD and, with two Love Island series in a year for the first time ever, we’re doubly happy and doubly confident that this really is a win: win, win: win scenario.”