SMIRNOFF TRIES TWISTED CAMPAIGN
By Adnews Staff
Smirnoff is pitching two new vodka products, Smirnoff Ice and Smirnoff Twist, with two new advertising campaigns from the Toronto and New York offices of J. Walter Thompson. Smirnoff Twist combines vodka with three fruit flavours: orange, raspberry or citrus. The drinks come in "twisted" bottles of several sizes. A print campaign running in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver broke on May 8. Billboards, posters and transit advertising illustrate the twisted bottle and carry the tagline "Try Something Twisted." In Vancouver the campaign's tagline will be "Perfect Twist." Smirnoff Ice combines vodka with citrus flavor and will be distributed in beer bottle-shaped containers. A television campaign for Smirnoff Ice will hit the air on June 4. One spot, called "Hairnet", portrays a group of twenty-something guys sneaking into a nightclub disguised as kitchen help. A second spot, called "Train", depicts a group of guys throwing a cross-country party on a train, collecting people as they travel. "In the past few years we have seen interest in vodka grow significantly, especially with the 19-24 category, which comprises 11% of the population," said Michele D'Angelo, director of channel marketing for Toronto-based United Distillers and Vintners. UDV distributes Smirnoff in Canada. "These campaigns reflect this age group's desire to do things their way and have a good time." Public relations for Smirnoff are handled by Northcott Communications of Toronto.