Britvic to revamp J20 brand for retail distribution launch

Britvic Soft Drinks is extending distribution of its juice-based soft drink brand J20 from bars and pubs to retailers. The move is being backed by a £2m marketing campaign.

The brand has only been available in pubs and bars since its launch in November 1998, but Britvic wants to develop the J20 as an adult drink for the home.

The initiative, which will also include new packaging, follows Britvic’s recent axing of its Juice Up brand (MW February 28). Category director Andrew Marsden said at the time that withdrawing the brand would enable Britvic to concentrate on J20 and Robinson’s Fruit Shoot.

Barret Cernis is developing an advertising campaign for the retail launch, which is expected to include television advertising. Media will be bought by MindShare.

HHCL & Partners was appointed to handle the original launch of J20. The account was later passed to Burkitt DDB, which devised a six-sheet underground campaign. Spend on the brand for 2001 was just £140,000 (AC Nielsen/MEAL). Barret Cernis won the business in July 2001.

The product has been repackaged in a 275ml glass bottle. Single bottles will be available with a recommended retail price of 85p at major supermarkets. Tesco will offer a multipack of four bottles. J2O is 50 per cent fruit juice and 50 per cent water and comes in four flavours.

Britvic is also launching a £3m television advertising campaign for Robinson’s Fruit Shoot this week, devised by HHCL & Partners and continuing the “New thinking, new drinking” theme.