Remedy Drinks gets people ‘hooked on the good stuff’ with beach activation
Remedy Drinks turns St Kilda beach into a "distribution zone"
Beachgoers in Manly and St Kilda were greeted over the weekend by stacks of mysterious crates, washed up and stamped like seized contraband, as part of an experiential launch by Remedy Drinks.
The Australian beverage maker transformed the beachfronts into a tongue-in-cheek distribution zone, deploying branded “dealers” to encourage passersby to “get hooked on the good stuff” as part of a promotion for its zero-sugar soft drink, Sodaly.
Created in collaboration with Melbourne agency Taboo, the campaign integrates the on-the-ground activations with out-of-home, online, and social placements carrying lines such as “Better than Coke*”, “All the fizz. None of the shizz.”, and “Sodaly dealers operate in this area.”
A number of influencers, including the Inspired Unemployed’s Dom Littrich and Claudi, were also recruited to amplify the campaign across social channels.
Speaking to Mumbrella about the campaign, Remedy Drinks’ global chief marketing officer, Kerrie Wade, said the main driver behind the activation was brand awareness, what she described as the “skinniest part of [the brand’s] funnel.”
“When customers try Sodaly, they tend to stick with it,” she said. “This gave us the idea of it being an ‘addictive’ substance, but it’s an addiction to something that is healthy.
“It forms part of our ongoing summer campaign, ‘Get Sodaly Addicted,’ and we’re hopeful the stunts and social activations will significantly improve brand recall for us.”
The good type of contraband, says Remedy Drinks
Remedy Drinks was one of Australia’s first commercial kombucha companies and is now the maker of other health-focused beverages, including Remedy Ginger Beer and Immune+ Shot.
Sodaly, its soft drink, launched in 2022 and, according to Wade, currently has a household penetration of 7%. She said the campaign aims to double that figure by the summer campaign’s conclusion at the end of March.
In a press release statement, Taboo ECD Charlotte Adorjan, said: “The category is built on trade-offs. We liked the idea that when indulgence doesn’t come with the crash, it feels almost contraband — so we pushed that tension as far as we could.
“It’s been wonderful to have a client who backed our ambition and kept pushing with us to make the work braver and better.”
