New York — Lime-A-Rita announced today that it will become the first brand in the Anheuser-Busch U.S. portfolio to market exclusively to women. Led by a team of female marketers, agency partners, and brewmasters, the brand is celebrating its fifth anniversary with a head to toe makeover including a new look and marketing campaign. The brand will also unveil five new flavors to the lineup this year.
Lime-A-Rita has naturally resonated with women since its arrival on shelves in 2012. Today, women represent 51% of the U.S. population and drive 85% of consumer purchasing decisions through their influence and buying power. Paired with the knowledge that female drinkers are strong advocates for Lime-A-Rita, the brand saw a unique opportunity to transform a beverage category that it successfully reinvigorated five years ago.
“By using the existing strength we have with female drinkers, we are poised to exclusively speak to women and bring more margarita moments to their lives,” said Selena Kalvaria, Senior Director for Lime-A-Rita. “We did our homework to understand the special connection female drinkers have with margaritas, and uncovered insights on the role that Lime-A-Rita plays in bringing women together. Our brand provides a variety of delicious, fun, and flavorful drinks that allow her to enjoy spontaneous moments with friends.”
The national campaign, Make it a Margarita Moment, features a series of vignettes, titled “Romantic Face,” “Brazilian,” “Rooftop” and “Disco,” that showcase the real conversations women have when they get together and the role Lime-A-Rita plays in fostering those margarita moments. The campaign will include new female-centric TV and digital ads, as well as social, retail and experiential components.
The creative campaign was developed by a female team from FCB Chicago, and directed by Hey Wonderful’s Tricia Brock, whose credits include cable TV hits such as Girls and Orange is the New Black. “It is a privilege to partner with a brand that is truly committed to finding more relevant ways to connect with women,” said Melanie Hellenga, SVP, Group Management Director at FCB Chicago. “We wanted to tap into real moments, when women get together with their friends, drink margaritas, let loose, and go where the conversation takes them.”
In conjunction with the new campaign, Lime-A-Rita will debut its first major redesign since 2012. Hitting shelves nationwide this week, the packaging is a reflection of the new direction the brand is taking. Inspired by Pop-Art, the design elevates perceptions by leveraging cues from spirits – with a focus on the margarita and simple, colorful fruit. This new look is premium and refreshing but it’s still fun – this is at the heart of Lime-A-Rita. “Our goal with this redesign was to give women a product that she is proud to hold, serve and share with her friends,” said Kalvaria.
Lime-A-Rita will also launch five new additions this spring to keep the product portfolio fresh with on-trend flavors that give our consumers the variety they are looking for. Additions to the core line include Grape-A-Rita, while Peach-A-Rita will be available through August as Lime-A-Rita’s new summer seasonal. The brand will also be launching Orange-A-Rita regionally in select markets. Splash by Lime-A-Rita, a refreshing take on the traditional margarita with a lower alcohol by volume, will also add new flavors including Pine-Apple-Rita Splash nationally and a limited-edition flavor, Coco-Nut-Rita Splash, which will be available in a special variety pack starting in April.
For more information on Lime-A-Rita and Splash by Lime-A-Rita, visit www.limearita.com or follow the conversation on social with #MargaReady.
About Lime-A-Rita
As part of the continued innovation from world-class brewmasters from the legacy of America’s most-popular beers, Anheuser-Busch launched Lime-A-Rita in 2012. The brand became the second-best selling new product launch that year, with Straw-Ber-Rita becoming the largest share gainer in the beer industry in 2013. New flavors and new product offerings are the cornerstone of Lime-A-Rita and Splash by Lime-A-Rita and the brand is consistently adding new offerings to the portfolio. Ace Metrix® awarded Lime-A-Rita the title of 2014 Brand of the Year for the Beer and the Spirits, Malt Beverages and Wine categories. In 2017, Lime-A-Rita became the first in the Anheuser-Busch InBev portfolio to explicitly target women with the “Make it a Margarita Moment” campaign. For more information, visit www.limearita.com.