Liqui-Fruit is flighting a new TV commercial as from September to re-affirm Liqui-Fruit’s position as a South African icon.
Following on its last TV commercial, which depicted ‘how Liqui-Fruit is made’ on a tropical island setting, Liqui-Fruit is returning to its brand roots. The older generation will remember the original Liqui-Fruit adverts from the 1980s and 1990s that first made the brand popular, featuring stunning models in hot environments, quenching their thirsts with Liqui-Fruit. Liqui-Fruit is reviving its fun, funky image with a fresh contemporary spin on these beloved commercials with the launch of their new TV campaign.
The new commercial features top South African model, Rue Essop, stranded on a deserted road with the sweltering sun beating down on her. Throughout the ad the dry, arid landscape is interwoven with images of the heavens opening with fruit-filled rain, the dusty ground erupting with sumptuous tropical fruit and Rue diving into a pool in the middle of the desert, surrounded by nothing but fruit. The ad cuts back to Rue drinking from a one-litre carton of Liqui-Fruit, depicting the refreshment power of Liqui-Fruit.
When Liqui-Fruit were looking for a face to grace their new commercial, they wanted someone that embodied the essence of Liqui-Fruit – someone gorgeous; fresh; fun; and uniquely South African and top South African model Rue Essop was spot on. Essop’s sultry, yet natural beauty personifies Liqui-Fruit’s image of natural goodness. Liqui-Fruit is the refreshment of choice for health-conscious consumers that want to keep their bodies beautiful from the inside out, and Rue is certainly an inspiration! She will also appear in all forthcoming print and TV campaigns as well as the Liqui-Fruit summer campaign.
Fruit is brought to life like never before in this scintillating new commercial and is the brain child of creative director Wallace Seggie from advertising agency Bester Burke. The ad was filmed by Cab Films, with renowned producer Charles Gallacher and director Bruce Paynter, one of only two South African finalists at the Cannes Lions Awards this year, at the helm. The captivating visual effects were created by multi award-winning animation and visual effects studio Black Ginger.
The crew traveled far and wide in search of dry, desolate locations in what began to look like some of the worst early winter weather the Cape had seen in years. The foul weather forced the crew from Piketberg up to Rietfontein Pan in the Northern Cape and all the way back down to a swimming pool in Newlands in Cape Town. All these elements were then masterfully combined in post production – the scorching heat is almost tangible to the viewer and you can actually taste the cool relief that Liqui-Fruit offers.
“This is a very exciting time for Liqui-Fruit and the brand has had an amazing journey over the last 30 years. We are now taking the brand back to where it was in the late 80s and 90s and getting back to the core values of fantastical fruit fantasies. This ad is the first step in setting the brand on a new path to success,” says Michelle van Schalkwyk, Liqui-Fruit’s Marketing Manager.
The new Liqui-Fruit TV commercial, featuring Essop in her debut role as the new face of Liqui-Fruit, will be aired from September on M-Net; eTV; and SABC 1, 2 and 3.
Liqui-Fruit is a brand in the Ceres Beverage Company stable, a division of Pioneer Foods. Liqui-Fruit was recently voted South Africa’s top fruit juice brand in the
Sunday Times Top Brand Awards 2009.