Malibu calls for eternal summer with new campaign

Dive Brief:

• Pernod Ricard’s Malibu, a coconut liquor made with rum, unveiled a brand refresh that kicks off with the global campaign “Welcome to Malibu,” according to a press release.
• The campaign features the tagline “Do Whatever Taste Good” and includes a 90-second spot directed by Dave Meyers titled “Welcome to Malibu.” A strong focus on social media will see the brand release GIFs, stickers and behind-the-scenes content.
• Malibu joins a growing list of brands undergoing a brand refresh in 2022. The campaign, which was created with Wieden + Kennedy, is meant to encourage year-round consumption of the traditionally seasonal beverage and build off of growth Malibu has seen in recent years.

Dive Insight:

The campaign tells drinkers to do whatever they like when they like, including drinking a potentially out-of-season beverage. The brand has attempted similar messaging before, including in 2021 with the introduction of Malibu Cocktails in a Can. Messaging around the cocktails also focused on all-season consumption in an attempt to extend brand popularity.

The new 90-second spot, produced by RadicalMedia, centers around Coco, a coconut horse. Over the course of the video, Coco discovers a hyper-real, inclusive space where they can do whatever they want, when they want. “Welcome to Malibu” will be integrated across social media and digital platforms.

The refresh comes on the heels of many others as brands look for a place in a post-pandemic world. Recent refreshes included Pringles, Coca-Cola and Baskin-Robbins.

Malibu has experienced growth in recent years. In 2019, the brand sold 3.9 million nine-liter cases. In 2020, that number spiked to 4.4 million cases. While the drink is mostly consumed in the summer, Malibu hopes its latest campaign will continue the drink’s popularity year-round.

“The exciting thing about this campaign is that it reframes the traditional summer Malibu occasion from a time and place to a mindset you can find anytime, ” Johan Radojewski, vice president of marketing at Malibu, said in a press release. “By inviting our consumers to ‘Do Whatever Tastes Good’ we are capturing the spirit of summer and making it relevant all year round. Giving our audience permission to enjoy whatever it is that they like, whenever they like.”