How embracing its fighting spirit helped set Carabao up to be the next big energy drink

In a market dominated by famous names like Red Bull and Monster, how do you successfully launch a new brand? Though huge in its Thai homeland, Carabao was an unknown quantity in the UK. The brand didn’t even have any significant distribution in place when we started working with it. What Carabao did have however was a desire to succeed, with the (name) fame of impactful comms seen as a way to drive interest amongst both the trade and consumers.

Unlike its competitors, who position themselves in worlds of extreme sport and youthful (male) excess, in its home market of Thailand Carabao is a down-to-earth democratic drink of the people. And, much like the water buffalo from which it takes its name, Carabao is central to the working day, providing the energy to help people overcome the challenges they face. This indomitable fighting spirit in the face of adversity and sheer bloody mindedness that defines beast, brand and consumer is what we wanted to capture, translating Carabao’s empowering world view to the UK market.

Given the need for name fame, brand recognition and easy grass roots application plus, for many, an understanding of what a carabao is to begin with, we wanted a very simple dramatization of the fighting spirit at the heart of the brand. Building on the thought of ‘release your inner Carabao’, we developed an instantly recognisable visual representation of the brand and its promise, quite literally showing the unleashed potency of (the) Carabao. This idea has been brought to life through print, outdoor, digital and retail, as well as being a central pillar for activating the brand’s role as one of Chelsea’s key sponsors.

Awareness & distribution delivered above target achieving double digit awareness in key regions. This allowed Carabao to secure significant new listings, including Tesco.