Funkin has been a leading player in prepared cocktail market in the UK since 1999, with a broad CPG portfolio including pre-packaged fruit purees, pre-mixed and ready-to-serve cocktail offerings. In 2021 they launched a ready-to-drink (RTD) canned cocktail range in the UK, combining classic cocktail recipes with nitrogen widget technology to create “bar-quality” cocktails for at home consumption.
Funkin RTD canned cocktails were a late entrant to an already highly competitive RTD category when they decided to expand into the US in 2023. With no brand recognition in this market, super premium pricing and a complex, tech-based proposition, the Funkin UK team turned to Telegrafik to help prepare a launch plan, localizing the brand idea and messaging to cut through the competitive clutter and optimize relevance with US consumer and trade audiences.
Telegrafik operated as a proxy for Funkin’s marketing operations in the US. We started the journey by designing and running a custom qualitative research exercise to complement the agency’s already deep category and cultural expertise. The research not only helped guide the US launch plan – product selection, pricing strategy and brand story – but also formed the basis for a localized brand proposition and messaging platform created specifically for the US market. That compelling and differentiated brand story was articulated through a series of unique illustrations (evergreen + seasonal executions) shining a spotlight on the brand’s USP’s within the context of relatable yet aspirational social occasions. The unique campaign was brought to life digitally (website + explainer video), via an arsenal of sales and selling tools as well as retail toolkits to optimize brand in-store presence.
