Orangina takeover sparks brand rejig
Orangina’s new owners are planning to reposition the brand as a premium adult soft drink and are understood to be seeking an agency to support the changes.
Private equity firms Blackstone and Lion Capital acquired the brand as part of a &£1.3bn acquisition of Cadbury Schweppes’ European drinks business last month.
The brand spends about &£2m on advertising a year, and has been working with Manchester-based agency BDH/TBWA. It is not clear if this relationship will continue. The agency created a campaign with the strapline “Shake it to wake it”, which ran across London in August.
Orangina is distributed and marketed by AG Barr in the UK and this contract will continue under the new owners. Commercial director Jonathan Kemp says the brand needs more investment, including television support, but would not confirm that it is seeking a new agency.
He says: “There is always a level of uncertainty when new owners take over, but it’s clear Orangina hasn’t had the investment it deserved over recent years.”
An industry source says: “Orangina’s owners are looking to reposition the brand away from fruit carbonates. It makes sense because it’s a unique product and has little in common with Tango or Fanta. Marketing will help, as will moving Orangina to the premium adult soft drinks section in stores.”
