Valio has launched a global campaign for its Gefilus good bacteria range, which includes one man’s quest to lick the dirtiest places in Europe.
Travel presenter Ian Wright toured the continent, seeking out and licking the places most contaminated by bad bacteria – including a public toilet in Russia, a football stadium in the UK and a €10 note. His journey is captured in a new 25-minute documentary, produced by Valio as part of the new brand campaign.
Armed with bottles of good bacteria and a luminometer to measure bacteria, the two-week tongue tour of Europe tested Wright’s taste buds and nerve to the limit, the company said. During the film, he puts Valio’s Gefilus products to the test.
Following its broadcast on Finland’s largest TV channel, the documentary, The Lick-hiker’s Guide to Inner Strength, will air on Valio’s YouTube channel and be seeded to a global audience. It will be supported by an international social media, pay-per-click and PR campaign.
Europe’s dirtiest places
Football stadium, London (6,600 RLU) Phone booth, Moscow (5,482 RLU) Swedish river water, Örebro (915 RLU)
Niko Vuorenmaa, Valio senior vice-president snacks, juice and new categories, said: “For more than 100 years we have innovated and led the dairy market with tasty products that enhance our lives. The rising gut health trend once more gives Valio an opportunity to help consumers globally. Our modern portfolio features new kind of product types and less sugar, which is what consumers want. In every market we operate in, Valio continues to improve and extend Gefilus in line with consumer tastes and demands.
“Valio Gefilus products contain the world’s most researched lactic acid bacterium, lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, which has qualities scrutinised in more than 800 scientific studies globally. The unique property of the bacteria allows it to attach firmly to the intestinal wall and stay strong and alive in the gut despite the acid fluids in the stomach and gastrointestinal tract.”
Watch the trailer
Jussi Lindholm, COO of Hasan & Partners, which commissioned Wright to make the film, added: “In January this year Valio’s tribute to Motorhead’s Lemmy Kilminster marked a new direction in the brand’s international marketing designed to engage a discerning audience in a competitive environment.
“The Lick-hiker’s Guide to Inner Strength is both educational and fun, designed to physically draw attention to the link between the gut, our inner strength, and our wellbeing.”
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