Having secured widespread retail distribution for its premium imported water, Icelandic Glacial is planning to “turbo charge” the brand with its first-ever TV spot airing in select markets starting in August.
The fifteen-second commercial, part of a new campaign called “You Are What You Drink,” will be broadcast in Los Angeles, New York and South Florida beginning next month. The TV spot will be complemented by national social/digital marketing support, as well as out-of-home advertising in the aforementioned territories. Doner LA was the creative agency behind the campaign, with media strategy and buying handled by 26 Dot Two.
Despite the disruptive effects of the pandemic, the Los Angeles-based company has enjoyed its best-ever sales month to date in July, according to CEO Reza Mirza. The ad, originally slated to premiere earlier this summer, is now set to help the brand carry that momentum into the fall. He noted that New York, Los Angeles and South Florida are all markets in which Icelandic Glacial has at least 40% ACV in grocery.
“We have the distribution, we have the execution and we have the promotions lined up — now we turbo charge it with advertising,” he said.
In speaking with and listening to consumers, Michelle Grieco, Director of Marketing at Icelandic Glacial, said interest in water sourcing and processing was a frequent topic. The campaign was inspired to highlight the difference between Icelandic Glacial and purified waters.
In the ad, a voice-over highlights the water as “the purest tasting water on earth,” which is “born from untouched lands” and “naturally filtered through ancient lava rock.” Without calling out purified waters explicitly, the theme of “You Are What You Drink” is meant to emphasize how naturally sourced water is a superior choice for consumers.
The female subject in the advertisement reflects the brand’s target audience, which Grieco said was primarily women ages 25 to 45.
The brand’s premium natural positioning fits well with Iceland’s own strong record of environmental stewardship, Mirza noted. The country has achieved carbon neutrality — Icelandic Glacial’s facility itself has a “net zero” carbon footprint as well — and its achievements in that realm have been highlighted in the media and documentaries. Next year, the company will move to at least 50% rPET on all product packaging.
“We come from one of the most pristine spring sources in the world,” he said “We have a great story from Iceland, which is known for its water, as well as for being eco-friendly and we want the consumer to know that.”
The marketing push comes as the brand has recalibrated its distribution strategy. Earlier this year, Mirza told BevNET that the brand was expanding its interests in on-premise accounts, having recently partnered with resort chain Caruso and co-working space company NeueHouse. As that channel has slowed to a near halt, the company has allocated more resources towards growing e-commerce sales while also looking to keep up velocities at its over 25,000 stores.
The brand is also looking to grow its family of products: having added two new flavors, Tarocco Blood Orange and Indonesian Lemongrass, to its sparkling water line in March, next year will see the introduction of a 5 liter bag-in-box format, followed by aluminum cans.
“We don’t just want to throw an idea against the wall and see if it’s a success,” he said. “We’ve done this in a very analytical way.”