Pernod takes Malibu Games campaign global

Drinks giant Pernod Ricard is rolling out its Malibu Games campaign worldwide, focusing on the “daytime drinking occasion” and “richer experiences”.

The Malibu Games 2019 aims to establish the brand as a “global icon of summer”

The Malibu Games campaign made its debut last year as a three-day festival featuring “bold retakes” on summer games, including water fights and dance offs. The event was part of the rum liqueur brand’s #BecauseSummer campaign.

This year, Malibu is “ramping up” its ‘influencer’ programme for the campaign, which will feature 32 ‘influencers’ from nine countries, including comedian and model Hannah Stocking and Dominican singer Natti Natasha. The Malibu Games will kick off this month over a three-day period in the Dominican Republic.

The initiative “taps into changes in audience behaviour and habits” as young people seek to connect with brands “through experience and drink on spontaneous occasions”.

This year’s Malibu Games is set to “shift brand perception further, focusing on the daytime drinking occasion and the change in consumer behaviour towards richer experiences and a more moderate alcohol consumption”.

Since 2018, the campaign’s kick-off event generated 5.4 million engagements, 155m video views and 2.1m website visits. Malibu said its “digital-first approach” ensures that the brand is “front of mind with young adults”.

Monica Höhle, Malibu global marketing manager, said: “Instead of leading with our liquid’s credentials, we target our audience by taking them on a journey, looking for ways to insert Malibu into the experiences they crave and collect.

“The Malibu Games gives us a way to own a drinking occasion that is both locally and globally relevant.”

Teaser content for the campaign was released last month across Malibu’s social media channels. Consumers can follow the activity throughout summer on www.maliburumdrinks.com and watch outtakes on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.