Russian Standard, the premium Russian vodka brand, is offering 90 exclusive VIP trips to Moscow as part of a £1.2 million integrated marketing campaign, ‘Meet the Russian Standard’ which aims to recruit more than 45,000 new drinkers. The promotion will also feature use of innovative mobile marketing technology to distribute competition information directly to consumers’ mobiles.

Activities kick off in July and will involve major advertising, sponsorship and sampling activities across the summer. The campaign, which will include TV, radio, press, digital and PR activity, aims to allow target consumers to discover modern Russia and further propel the brand’s premium positioning to ensure consumers understand the brand’s heritage.

Integrated agency i2i Marketing developed the campaign. The brief was to help Russian Standard Vodka leverage its authentic Russian heritage and premium, modern image to position itself as a credible challenger brand to Smirnoff in the UK.

On-trade support will include distribution of 600 POS kits across the UK, as well as in-bar sampling activities in 200 top-end venues. Menu clips, table talkers and posters will be made available with Hypertags installed in bars to enable drinkers to download competition information and the Russian Standard logo to their mobiles. The latest reality technology will be used to really drive consumer engagement and encourage talkability about the promotion.

Off-trade activity will include a neck collar promotion on 250,000 bottles in the multiples, convenience and specialist channels. In-store sampling will also take place, targeting 30,000 target consumers. Gondola end and on-shelf POS will also be provided to raise awareness of the competition to shoppers. The wholesale channel will see the campaign promoted in cash and carry outlets with branded pallet wraps to increase stand-out.

Thousands of pounds worth of other prizes, including iPod Touchs, will also be up for grabs. A new website, www.meettherussianstandard.co.uk, will encourage maximum interaction with the brand’s target audience and will be the main channel from where consumers can enter the competition and learn more about the brand.

Empire, Q and Grazia magazines, Kiss radio and TV stations, 4Music, Kiss and Q will all carry advertising with additional PR, trade and online support.