Four Loko to sponsor three summer music festivals

Red Star Brands, a distributor of disruptive drinks and snack brands, has announced a summer festival sponsorship for its RTD brand, Four Loko.

Four Loko will be sponsoring three summer music festivals in 2024: Parklife, Manchester (8-9 June); TRNSMT, Glasgow (12-14 July); and Leeds Festival (21-25 August).

Red Star Brands is investing £1.5 million in trade and consumer activation in 2024 to drive core and category visibility with activations, disruptive PoS, category signage in the off-trade arena, social media, digital executions online, and campaign-led influencer programmes across the summer.

Four Loko, a leading US brand, is one of the fastest growing RTD brands in the UK convenience category, adding £7.4 million value growth [52 weeks to 18 Feb 2024]. It is the No.5 RTD brand in total GB convenience, and No.2 RTD brand in Scotland, after only being launched in the UK in 2021.

It already holds 7% value share of the convenience market and has the No.1 fastest selling SKU, Four Loko White (440ml), as well as eight of the top 13 fastest selling SKUs.

Four Loko is available in nine flavours in 440ml cans, and has an 8.4% abv. The full range will be showcased across the festivals, in bars and the VIP areas.

The disruptive flavoured alcohol brand plans to create fun experiences at its Four Loko stage at the three festivals. Four Loko will be dialling up the pre-party experience to over 100,000 festival goers with top DJ talent, chilled cans and house party vibes.

Stacey Caldwell, marketing manager of Red Star Brands, comments: “Four Loko found its home at music festivals so we are very excited to announce that the brand is a key sponsor at three of the biggest UK music festivals. As we defy convention with our products, we are always looking to create unforgettable experiences and drive trial to our consumer base.

“Convenience stores continue to drive the growth of the RTD category in the UK, growing +16.5% in value and 10.4% in units, which is why it is important for us to reward our partner retailers that go the extra mile.”

To support the sponsorship, Four Loko will launch a series of three-day bursts on socials from May, giving music lovers the chance to win festival tickets.

The social campaign will be further supported by Four Loko point-of-sale, digital assets and must-stock Four Loko flavours in top convenience stores strategically placed in the region of the festivals in the six weeks prior to each festival date.