- In a bid to broaden its appeal, Nespresso has struck a partnership with music artist The Weeknd to launch a new line of coffee, just as the company is switching its longtime advertising agency.
- The new brew, the “Samra Origins” collection (so named after The Weeknd’s mother), pays homage to The Weeknd’s Ethiopian roots and the tradition of coffee in his family’s culture.
- Earlier this week, Nespresso awarded creative duties on its global advertising account to Publicis Groupe’s Leo, after a nearly two-decade relationship with IPG’s McCann, according to Adweek. The company will continue to work with McCann and other IPG agencies “in other capacities,” according to the publication.
Nespresso’s new collaboration and agency shift come as the brand is looking to refresh its image for a younger generation. The company’s new marketing campaign (including materials for its collaboration with The Weeknd) is designed to cater to Gen Z’s preference for iced coffee drinks and leans heavily on ‘90s nostalgia, according to The Wall Street Journal.
“Coffee runs deep in my family culture – it’s about gathering, sharing, reflecting,” said Abel Tesfaye (a.k.a. The Weeknd), in a statement. “That’s what Samra Origins and Nespresso mean to me – sharing a love of that tradition and making it accessible to many coffee lovers is truly incredible.”
Nespresso’s previous marketing has featured actor George Clooney and leaned heavily on his movie star charm and sophistication. “Cups in its ads were always steaming,” reports the Journal.
While the trend toward marketing more iced drinks and partnering with The Weeknd – the brand is also sponsoring the artist’s upcoming tour – is part of the company’s larger strategy to reach younger consumers, Jessica Padula, Nespresso USA’s vice president of marketing and head of sustainability, said Clooney would remain part of the company’s advertising strategy.
“The Weeknd isn’t replacing George,” Padula said, “but [he is] helping us reach new audiences that George maybe isn’t reaching today.”
Clooney’s continued involvement may be questionable as Nespresso moves global creative duties on its account to Leo from McCann. According to Adweek, the shift came after a pitch that included those two agencies as well as WPP’s Ogilvy and Omnicom’s TBWA. Adweek described McCann’s relationship with Nespresso as “project-based,” and that no work was scoped out for this year.
“We’re incredibly proud to have worked with this iconic coffee brand to turn it into a global phenomenon. From the highly successful collaboration with George Clooney to the power of the ‘Nespresso What else?’ platform, our partnership has created work that has built a new premium coffee brand around the world,” a McCann spokesperson told the outlet. “We wish the brand well in its next chapter and look forward to continuing our strong partnership across the many other ways we support the business.”
