A Deep Stretch, a Long Sip

Illustration by Gabriella @ STORMBRANDS

It’s the middle of the week. The cat has tipped over your makeshift ironing-board desk. You didn’t sleep too well last night, and the roadworks are in full swing outside, again. Luckily, you popped to the shop yesterday and grabbed a few bottles of your favourite functional soft drink. It promises to energise, calm, and uplift you. Or something along those lines. You pour it into a glass with some ice, and it almost feels like you’re back at that juice bar again. The one near the office.

A deep stretch, a long sip. Shake it off, you’ve got this.

Photo via Andrew Neel

Functional soft drinks, what’s that all about? Well, it’s about wellness, and according to Suntory, over the next five years, it’s a category worth over £1 billion pounds. The phrase functional drinks refers, quite literally, to a drink with additional functional benefits, usually emotive such as ‘uplifting’ or nutritionally-based, such as added B12 to ‘energise.’

I’m sure many can relate to the frustrations outlined above. One monotonous year into lockdown(s), and these day-to-day frustrations can become all-consuming. Our days can blur into one, with little distinction. Without the natural breakpoints we’re accustomed to, easing us through our daily routines, it’s fair to say we’re all at least a little bit drained, and need to take time to carve out time for wellness. So, it seems only natural that functional drinks which offer positively-charged benefits are booming right now.

The focus on health and wellness over the last year, in the context of a pandemic, has made people think hard about how they treat their bodies. Suntory states that 75% of people are concerned about levels of stress and fatigue, and how better to ease this, than with a drink promising to leave you feeling energised, to be enjoyed on the go or whilst taking two minutes away from an email inbox? But note, they also want it sugar-free, natural, and have uses beyond hydration. Alcohol-free too, but more on that here.

So, what opportunities are there for existing or emerging brands? Essentially, many. The Hartman Group found over half of the adults they surveyed in 2020 stated that they had used beverages to “treat or prevent a specific condition and maintain overall health.”

Photo via Corinne Kutz

The consumer exists, has numerous wellness needs, and is currently a captive audience. Sure, overall footfall and physical events have dwindled, but reframe this into a positive. For many, a socially-distanced trip to the supermarket is the main event of the week. Point of sale, merchandising, promotions, and in-store activation opportunities are likely to land and to be seen by more. Perfect when launching a new brand or expanding a well-known one.

It’s not just physical. Utilise digital to target your consumers, who are probably scrolling through their timelines at home for a moment of respite. Strategic social media posts with engaging and authentic content, micro-influencer marketing, and well-placed PPC ads can be useful tools in your arsenal to seek out your consumer.

Consumers are out there, they’re waiting, and they’re craving easily-consumed “wellness.” Cater to them and reap the rewards.

Written by our Marketing + Development Manager Lottie Maddison

Part two of our three-part self-care and functional drinks series. Find the rest here.

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