WKD Original Vodka is a brand of alcopop produced by Beverage Brands. It is sold and heavily marketed in the United Kingdom with the slogan ‘Have you got a WKD side?’ (Have you got a wicked side?). AC Nielsen ranked it as the number-one UK ready-to-drink brand in 2006.^[1]

Contents 1 Product information 1.1 Varieties 1.2 Defunct varieties 2 Advertising 3 References 4 External links

[edit] Product information

All varieties contain 5% ABV. This was originally 5.5%, but it was changed in October 2003.^[2] WKD was once again reduced from 5% ABV to 4.5% in May 2009. The drink was first marketed in Scotland under the name ‘Wicked’ and was launched in August 1996. Initially available in 330ml bottles, the bottles were later reduced to 275ml, matching other alcopops. The individual 275ml bottles are sold in pubs, bars, and shops across the UK, with shops also selling multipacks of 4 and 12. The larger 700ml bottles are sold in shops only.

[edit] Varieties

• WKD Original Vodka Iron Brew ("WKD Orange" or "WKD original")

Orange coloured, Irn-Bru flavour.

• WKD Original Vodka Blue ("WKD Blue")

Blue coloured, bubblegum/blue mixed fruit flavour.

• WKD Original Vodka Red ("WKD Red")

Red coloured, cranberry flavour.

• WKD Core

Cider-based drink, apple flavoured, green colour. Introduced 2009.

  10 or over 

[edit] Defunct varieties

• WKD Original Vodka Silver

Clear coloured, tropical flavour ("WKD Silver") No longer sold.

[edit] Advertising

WKD Vodka has been heavily promoted in the UK. Promotion includes a TV advertising campaign, a national poster campaign, scoreboard sponsorship at Premiership football clubs, giving out samples in bars and clubs, sponsorship, and student tours. Their catchphrase is "Have you got a WKD side?" was launched in 2000 and hit TV screens in 2001. The TV adverts feature men pulling pranks or behaving in a strange or selfish manner for the beverage.^[3]

Along with several other alcopop or RTD producers, WKD have been accused by the UK ASA of using advertising which was likely to appeal to under-18s,^[4] resulting in some of their TV adverts being banned.

[edit] References

1. ^ "WKD surges to become no. 1 RTD brand". Beverage Brands / AC Nielson. http://www.beverage-brands.co.uk/news/NewsArticle.aspx?id=47&action=archive. Retrieved 2008-01-18. 
2. ^ "WKD reduces ABV and passes duty saving on to customers". Beverage Brands. http://www.beverage-brands.co.uk/news/NewsArticle.aspx?id=31&action=archive. Retrieved 2008-01-18. 
3. ^ "Our Brands". Beverage Brands. http://www.beverage-brands.co.uk/brands/default.asp. Retrieved 2008-01-08. 
4. ^ "TV alcopops adverts 'broke rules'". BBC News Online. 2006-09-26. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5383504.stm. Retrieved 2008-01-08. 

[edit] External links

• Official website