Client: Volvic
Project: Volvic Birds
Media: TV
Country: United Kingdom

DESCRIPTION

Brief
 
The Background
 
•The UK bottled water market has grown consistently over the last 5 years on the back of consumer health trends but still has substantially lower penetration in the UK vs other major European markets.
•A key reason is that on many drinking occasions consumers find water boring and dull; instead they reach for one of a plethora of vibrant, colourful, dynamic soft drinks brands.

 
The Communications Challenge
•The task for communications was to take on the perception that waters are plain and dull by celebrating what makes Volvic water different, its unique source, without being overly reverential and worthy. 
•Because it is filtered through mineral rich volcanic rock, Volvic mineral water gives drinkers a unique sense of natural invigoration we call ‘volcanicity’.
•The new campaign needed to bring alive these hydrating properties in a way that gives Volvic a unique personality for a water brand, capable of competing against other soft drinks.
Solution
 
The Creative Solution
•
To answer the brief, the creative team went back to the dawn of time and personified the properties and personality of the brand using a character called Mr Volcano (George to his friends) and his friend, Tyrannosaurus Alan.
•The distinctive campaign with quirky tongue in cheek humour, explains how ‘volcanicity’ makes Volvic into a wild roaring mineral water that gives consumers natural vitality.
•The ads feature voice overs by Matt Berry, star of the Mighty Boosh and Tom Goodman-Hill, currently starring in Spamalot.

 
The Results
•
The campaign broke in April 2007 so it is still early days but already there are indications the ads will bring substantial value to the brand. 
•In Millward Brown pre-testing the campaign scored an A.I. of 18, unprecedented for Danone.
•Millward Brown also reported that Awareness (unaided) for Volvic leapt 17% from 41% in August 2006, to 58% a year later.
•Less than two weeks after launch, Campaign magazine’s Adwatch indicated at least 55% of people had already seen the ads.
•But in the digital era maybe a better indicator of popularity is cyberspace, where Mr Volcano and Alan have already reached cult status. 
•There are 41 consumer created Mr V Youtube entries with 15 re-edits of the ad.  Facebook, the social networking site has 31 sites dedicated to George or Alan.  There are 98,700 ‘Mr Volcano and Tyrannosaurus Alan’ Google entries.  And aspiring entrepreneurs are even selling George and Alan badges on Ebay.