‘Star Wars’ Characters Get ‘Brisk’ Makeover
Brisk Iced Tea is taking its 2012 national marketing campaign to a galaxy far, far away to join the Force by marking the 3D theatrical release of “Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace” in February.
“At Brisk, we’re inspired by creativity and always looking for fresh and authentic ways to work with artists -- from emerging talent to seasoned pros, like those at Lucasfilm,” noted Eric Fuller, brand director, Brisk Iced Tea, which is a product of the Pepsi Lipton Tea Partnership, a joint venture between Purchase, N.Y.-based PepsiCo and Unilever in Englewood Cliffs, N.J. “Our goal is to leverage iconic characters in a way that engages fans with that Brisk edge they’ve come to expect. A creative collaboration with ‘Star Wars’ delivers just that.”
“The Brisk team has done a great job developing new, innovative ways for people to interact with 'Star Wars' -- staying true to classic, fan-favorite characters while giving them a fun twist,” said Kayleen Walters, senior director, marketing at San Francisco-based Lucasfilm.
A 30-second TV spot features “Briskified” versions of iconic characters Darth Maul and Yoda facing off for the first time. The ad employs the next-generation stop-motion animation the brand began using last year. The spot, created by Mekanism in San Francisco, will air beginning Jan. 15, appearing in movie theaters and online. The promotion will supported retail through in-store POS, social media integration, grass-roots activation, radio and interactive TV.
Additionally, a Brisk mobile game application, Brisksaber, brings the iconic Star Wars lightsaber battles to smartphones. The new app features a progression of content content enabling fans to gradually unlock new characters and objects based on the nationwide redemption of codes found on specially marked packages of 1-liter Brisk Iced Tea.
“The Brisksaber app allows us to continue to offer inventive content that truly appeals to our growing Brisk community,” explains Fuller, who notes that the brand will also support the application with a dedicated 15-second TV spot. “Gaming is a big part of who they are, and we’ll reward their loyalty to Brisk and their love of ‘Star Wars’ by unveiling new content and features for the Brisksaber app throughout our Star Wars partnership.”
Blending 2D and 3D elements, the game invites players to pick either The Light Side or The Dark Side and then either Time Trial or Survival mode before they battle foes that vary depending on the allegiance they’ve chosen. Players can opt to share their scores on Facebook and Twitter, with top-scoring players shown on a leaderboard. Brisksaber can be downloaded on Facebook, or in the iTunes Store and Android Market.
Darth Maul, a Sith warrior known for wielding a double-ended lightsaber, appears on Brisk Raspberry Iced Tea 24-ounce cans (see above) and 1-liter bottles. Limited-time Brisk Raspberry Iced Tea Darth Maul packaging will drive consumers to another site where they can download Brisksaber.
The Brisk Raspberry Iced Tea Darth Maul bottles, as well as the brand’s Iced Tea with Lemon, Sweet Tea, Tea Lemonade, Green Tea Peach, Strawberry Melon, Lemonade, Pink Lemonade and Fruit Punch varieties, will have under-the-cap codes that allow fans to collectively unlock new characters, lightsabers and objects when they play Brisksaber. The "Uncap the App" promotion and limited-time Darth Maul packaging are available until April 30.
New multiserve 1-gallon jugs will also roll out in four flavors: Iced Tea with Raspberry, Tea Lemonade Fusion, White Tea Pink Lemonade Fusion and Strawberry Melon Juice Drink.