Robinsons ad 2023 – gargling Girl on Fire

The renowned fruit drink company, Robinsons, has released an innovative and quirky new campaign titled “Get Thirsty” in collaboration with Saatchi & Saatchi London. This campaign is the first since the company’s significant rebrand in March and capitalizes on the power of humor, music, and relatable moments to engage audiences.

In an unexpected twist on Alicia Keys’ hit song “Girl on Fire,” the advertisement features a choir gargling the melody after sipping from glasses of Robinsons Fruit Squash. The members of the choir, dressed in vibrant clothes that match the colors of the drinks they’re consuming, gather on park steps and let out a harmonized rendition of the tune by gargling the beverage.

Directed by Yousef through Prettybird, the campaign captures the choir’s spirit, the essence of life’s thirsty moments, and the joy derived from the small things that make us thirsty. The creative brain behind the campaign, Franki Goodwin, Chief Creative Officer at Saatchi & Saatchi London, describes the choir’s spirit as “utterly infectious” and a celebration of life’s thirsty moments.

The campaign celebrates thirst as a sign of living life to the fullest, using the idea that being active and lively can make one thirsty. The company aims to tap into these “joyful things in life that make us thirsty” and deliver the message that a refreshing sip of Robinsons is the perfect answer to quenching that thirst.

The ad will be broadcast across various channels, including TV – making its debut in ITV’s “Proudly presents” slot during Britain’s Got Talent – out-of-home, video-on-demand, and social media platforms throughout the summer. MSix&Partners managed media planning and buying.

The campaign aims to entertain and capture attention and is designed to intrinsically link the Robinsons product to the creative concept. “Saatchi & Saatchi’s gargling choir was a route we simply couldn’t resist – not only is it impossible not to crack a smile, but it also intrinsically linked our product to the creative,” says Charlotte White, Marketing Director at Robinsons.

The campaign includes a second phase, scheduled to launch in June, and a partnership with creator commerce company Whalar to bring the campaign to social media. Whalar’s involvement has resulted in creating a dedicated TikTok filter and a challenge titled “Guess my gargle,” allowing TikTok users to engage with the campaign fun and interactively.

PROS

• Innovative Concept: The unusual use of a choir gargling a popular song, Alicia Keys’ “Girl on Fire,” is a unique approach that will grab the audience’s attention.
• Interactive Element: Introducing the “Guess my gargle” TikTok challenge encourages audience participation and promotes user engagement, helping to boost the campaign’s reach and impact.

CONS

• Potential Misinterpretation: Some viewers may not immediately understand the concept of the gargling choir and miss the connection between the ad and the product.
• Distraction from Product: The creative and unusual idea might overshadow the product, resulting in a lower product recall.
• Risk of Annoyance: While the ad is intended to be entertaining, the gargling concept may be seen as irritating or off-putting to some viewers, negatively impacting their brand perception.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the campaign is a testament to the spirit of partnership and creativity in advertising. It embodies the Robinsons brand’s ethos and is expected to significantly impact its target audience. As we wait for the campaign’s second phase, Robinsons and Saatchi & Saatchi London continue to look forward to getting the nation gargling with this imaginative and captivating advertisement.