Fcuk plans brand extension foray into alcoholic drinks

High street fashion retailer French Connection has teamed up with Matthew Clark Brands to launch an fcuk-branded flavoured alcoholic beverage (FAB).

Fcuk spirit will be launched in the onand off-trade in November. It will initially be available in two flavours, Lemon and Cranberry & Grapefruit, both with a vodka base and an ABV (alcohol by volume) of 5.4 per cent. Other flavours, including a non-alcoholic variant, are in development.

While the FAB market is worth nearly &£1bn a year, it is characterised by a few major drinks brands with a host of other products struggling to offer any point of difference, placing French Connection in a good position to make an impact on the sector.

Matthew Clark group marketing director Robert MacNevin says: “French Connection has created something unique with the fcuk brand and something that we know the key consumers find enormously appealing. Quite simply, fcuk spirit is going to be the most significant brand in the market.”

Fcuk spirit is the latest brand extension from the retailer, whose sales have soared in recent years, largely because of its controversial ad campaigns, created by TBWA/London.

The launch of fcuk spirit will be supported by point-of-sale material and fcuk brand advertising. Product specific campaigns may be developed in the future.

Last month the company, which has 137 stores worldwide, unveiled half-year pre-tax profits of &£8.3m, up from &£7.5m in the same period the year before.