Lucozade Sport turns to boxer Anthony Joshua in bid to prove its health credentials

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bQuW5cQs4U

Lucozade is placing its purpose of getting people to exercise at the heart of its brand, as the soft drink giant says it needs to “go beyond marketing” to have a real impact.

Its new ‘Made to Move’ campaign ad, which was created by creative agency Valenstein & Fatt (formerly known as Grey London), features British boxer and IBF Heavyweight Champion Anthony Joshua, and looks to emphasise his belief that ‘”nobody moves forward by standing still”.

The film follows Anthony Joshua’s life, showing his rise from bricklayer to Olympic champion. Besides featuring Joshua himself, the clip also features the fighter’s close friends and family. As well as launching on TV, the film will be broadcasted via video-on-demand and YouTube.

The brand decided to change its marketing messaging last year by taking a more purposeful approach after it noticed a shift among consumers, Lucozade Sport’s head of marketing Steven Hind tells Marketing Week.

While Lucozade previously focused on communicating brand benefits, its marketing now looks to encourage one million people in the UK to get active. It will mainly look to do this through its partnerships with Tough Mudder, the London Marathon and by organising events with its brand ambassadors. For example, the brand is organising numerous live streamed workout sessions with its influencers, so people can join in at home.

Hind explains: “People want brands and the Government to try and help more. There’s this huge desire for people across the UK to exercise more. We moved towards a more purposeful marketing approach to help inspire and physically help people to lead more active lives.”

The new tactic also comes amid a government-led crackdown on sugar. Next year a sugar tax will also come into force, taking aim at the soft drinks manufacturers and set to raise £520m, which will be used to help support school sport and fitness programmes.

[The brand purpose] has to have gravity beyond the marketing and sales department. It’s right for our brand, business, and is actually something consumers are interested in.

Steven Hind, Lucozade Sport

The government will apply the tax in two bands: the lower band will see brands pay a tax on drinks that they produce or export containing 5g or more of sugar for every 100ml. A higher band covers drinks containing 8g or more of sugar on every 100ml.

Lucozade Sport in its current formulation is under the threshold, Hind says, which is why no changes will be made to its product. However Lucozade Energy will be reducing its sugar content by 50% to avoid the sugar tax.

“It’s important for any brand or marketing team to stay as current and relevant as possible. We wanted to take a positive stance – this is about having a positive influence on people’s lives,” he says.

Hind believes its brand purpose will set itself apart from other advertisers vying for consumers’ attention, and attract more people to the brand as it “adds something to their lives”.

That said, he emphasises the brand purpose is not just limited to its communications – the rest of the business is also looking to embrace its focus on getting active.

Hind concludes: “We found a purpose that really fits our culture. As a business we are trying to be one of the healthiest places to work in the UK. It has to have gravity beyond the marketing and sales department. It’s right for our brand, business, and is actually something consumers are interested in.”

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