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Vimto Soft Drinks to launch ‘EXTREME’ drinks range in UK
Al Gosling, founder of the Extreme Sports Channel and irreverent youth lifestyle brand ‘EXTREME’, announced the launch of a new range of licensed ‘EXTREME’ sports and energy drinks. The launch marks The Extreme Sports Company’s move into the licensing business with the aim of delivering a range of lifestyle products, services and experiences for the youth market under the ‘EXTREME’ brand.
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The Extreme Sports Company has awarded Nichols Plc, owners of Vimto Soft Drinks, the license to produce ‘EXTREME’ a branded sports and energy soft drinks range that will launch at retail in the UK this July. The ‘EXTREME’ drinks range consists of two products; ‘Extreme Energy’ and ‘Extreme Sport’ targeting the millions of 18-34 year olds who are attracted to the Extreme sports lifestyle. Vimto is supporting the campaign with a number of sampling events and in store promotions across the UK. The Extreme Sports Company is supporting the launch with appearances and demonstrations by its Extreme Ambassadors – a network of grass roots experts including star of the BMX scene Tom Isted - at key events and on its social media platforms during the summer.
‘EXTREME’ is an established and influential youth media brand with a unique heritage that began when Al Gosling launched the Extreme Sports Channel in 1999. It remains the world’s leading 24/7 TV channel dedicated to extreme sports and the associated lifestyle and owes its success to the brand’s ability to recognise and cater for the emerging youth culture surrounding extreme sports. Today the channel reaches millions of fans each month in over 60 countries worldwide and its associated website Extreme.com is a leading provider of action sports videos, receiving 1.8 million views per month, alongside the success of the ‘Extreme’ social media offerings on Facebook and Covanaut.com. |
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The Extreme Sports Company is now working with licensees and strategic partners globally to deliver a distinctive, edgy youth appropriate licensing programme that builds on the brand’s heritage and fits with the aspirational extreme sports lifestyle encompassing art, music and fashion. Extreme’s target licensing categories include hotels, fashion, electronics, destinations, personal care, publishing, drinks and experiences. The company has already launched an Extreme Sports App for BlackBerry®smartphones through a licensing agreement with technology company Appurity. The Extreme App has achieved almost 50,000 downloads since January 2013.
The potential market for the Extreme brand is huge with an estimated 140 million people in the 15-34 age group participating in the top four sports of surf, snowboard, ski and skateboarding in Europe alone and millions more aspiring to the extreme sports lifestyle. |
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Al Gosling, Extreme Sports Company CEO, says, “The Extreme Sports Company’s mission is to play a leading role as brand licensor in the youth lifestyle market across EMEA and beyond. We are thrilled to partner with Vimto for the Extreme drinks range. This launch marks the first of many inspirational consumer products, services and experiences that will enable consumers who live or aspire to the Extreme lifestyle to enter the world of Extreme.”
Gosling adds: “Fourteen years ago I launched the Extreme Sports Channel to serve the hungry appetite of the youth market for extreme sports and the associated culture. We now aim to build on Extreme’s unique heritage and do the same beyond TV.”
Gosling has brought on board an experienced senior management team in recent months to develop the Extreme licensing business. Jean-Philippe Randisi has joined as an advisor and non-executive Director. Randisi is currently EVP of Consumer Products at ITV and previously held similar positions for MTV Networks International, Nickelodeon Consumer Products and Fox Kids Europe. Natalie Horne, Global Category Director for Fashion, Personal Care, Consumer Electronics and Destinations has joined from The Walt Disney Company where she was the Apparel Director within Disney Consumer Products across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Peter Oden, Global Category Director for Food and Beverage, has joined from Monster Energy Drinks where he was the Business Development Director for Europe, Middle East and Africa. |
