Coke coconut water brand takes on Vita Coco with biggest ever campaign

Coca-Cola is looking to take on the UK’s biggest selling coconut water brand Vita Coco this summer by ploughing its biggest ever marketing investment into its own coconut water product ZICO.

Zico Jessie Ware

ZICO has signed British singer-songwriter Jessie Ware to front its #TheEveryDayActive push, which aims to inspire consumers to partake in everyday exercise – such as taking the stairs or running for the bus – to improve their overall health and fitness. 

It marks the first time the brand has teamed up with a celebrity and follows rival Vita Coco’s move last year to sign Rihanna as its brand ambassador.

The ZICO campaign launches with a Jessie Ware gig tonight (17 June) atop The Gherkin building in the City of London. It is being supported with a media partnership with Kiss FM, social media and print advertising.

ZICO first launched in the US in 2004 and was brought to the UK market in 2010. Stockists include Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and independent stores and gyms.

Vita Coco, owned by All Market Europe Limited, accounts for 94 per cent of sales in the coconut water category across the 26 brands selling in the UK market, according to Nielsen. The Grocer predicts the UK coconut water industry will be worth £100m by 2014.

Vita Coco’s summer marketing push is also understood to be its biggest ever this year, after more than doubling sales in the past 12 months, with new activity set to launch in the coming weeks.

Elsewhere, sister Coca-Cola brand Oasis is also launching a marketing campaign this week.

Channel 4’s Rick Edwards is to star in a live Facebook game and experiential event at the EDF Energy London Eye for the fruit juice drink, inviting consumers to play a virtual spin the bottle game to win prizes. 

The activity – which will be supported across digital, print and media partnerships with Bauer – aims to promote Oasis’ new flavour “Mango Medley”.

Recommended

Starbucks

Q&A: Ian Cranna, Starbucks

Lara O'Reilly

Ahead of his conference presentation at Marketing Week Live, Ian Cranna, VP marketing and category at Starbucks UK gives his pointers for staying ahead of the game in an increasingly global marketplace.