The challenge

Vital had a product, a name and early designs, but no brand behind them.

The product was brilliant, but launching into the incredibly cluttered, confusing, and ever-increasing Functional Drinks category would prove to be an uphill battle without imbuing the brand with meaning, and giving retailers a reason to stock Vital, and consumers a reason to try it.

We needed to turn a great functional story, into a powerful emotional one.

At the same time, the brand had secured Harry Kane as an ambassador, creating pressure to build a brand authentic enough to feel credible alongside him, not just buying his image.

We needed to transform a functional drink into a meaningful brand people and retailers could believe in.

Strategy

Position Vital as the simple, complete choice for everyday wellbeing.

Through interviews and workshops, we uncovered an important shift in perspective: people buying health drinks do not see themselves as unhealthy or in need of repair. They already exercise, try to eat well and care about their routines. They are not looking to recover lost energy, but to maintain momentum and stay consistent.

While much of the category is framed around fixing, boosting or restoring, we repositioned Vital around protection and continuity. Rather than offering a single functional claim, the brand became a complete daily solution, delivering everything you need in one straightforward format and removing the complexity of comparing ingredients or stacking supplements.

We also framed Vital as a simple behavioural swap, an easy replacement for your usual soft drink rather than a new ritual to adopt. That simplicity was critical in lowering the barrier to trial and embedding the brand into everyday life.

Finally, we elevated the benefit beyond the functional. Hydration and vitamins matter, but the deeper value lies in the reassurance that you are doing the right thing, reinforcing a sense of discipline and self-trust. Vital became a brand about steady progress and dependable performance.

This positioning aligned naturally with Harry Kane, whose reputation is built on consistency, reliability and long-term excellence rather than dramatic transformation, making him a credible embodiment of the brand’s ethos.

What real people think

“I want to feel vibrant and focused every day, but modern life has other ideas. I look for easy hacks to help maintain my vitality.”

The idea

The easy way to keep your spark alive.

Vital helps you maintain the version of yourself you already work hard to be.

What we made

Brand Narrative

A clear story explaining:

Why the brand exists
Who it’s for
What role it plays in everyday life
How it differs from energy or recovery drinks

Retailer Sell-In Story

We translated the strategy into commercial language retailers could buy into:

Category role
Shopper motivation
Incremental purchase behaviour
Shelf justification

Creative Platform & Key Visual

An adaptable visual system demonstrating the idea across touchpoints, including:

Packaging guidance
In-store POS
Retail communications
Example marketing executions

Value Unlocked

The clearer story gave buyers confidence in the brand’s role within the category and supported expansion into new retail environments including Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Fitness First gyms.

Vital moved from a product with ingredients to a brand with meaning, making it easier for retailers to stock and easier for people to believe in. So much so that they have recently unlocked an additional £1m investment, to take the brand to the next level.