Arla Cravendale® from farmer-owned dairy company, Arla Foods has partnered with Lionsgate UK to support the release of ‘Eddie the Eagle’ in cinemas on April 1st. The film is based on the inspirational true story of British ski jumper Michael ‘Eddie the Eagle’ Edwards and his quest to reach the Winter Olympics.
Milk plays a memorable role in the film as the “drink of champions”. Eddie is a devoted milk drinker and is seen consuming it throughout the film to keep strong ahead of the 1988 Calgary Olympics – at one moment he even swaps the traditional après-ski tipple for a glass of the good stuff, using it to celebrate his achievement post-Games.
Appearing from March 21st for four weeks, Arla Cravendale has created a special version of its ‘Milk Drinker’s Milk’ TV advert to support the partnership and to celebrate milk drinkers across the UK. Both ‘Eddie the Eagle’ and the Arla Cravendale advert’s “The Milk Drinker” feature, drinking milk side by side, in a step to encourage consumers to think of only Arla Cravendale when shopping for milk.
To coincide with the film’s release, Arla Cravendale is launching a series of competitions on its Facebook page throughout March. (www.facebook.com/Cravendale). These will reward loyal Cravendale fans and help to draw wider milk drinkers into the brand.
Giveaways include:
- 2,000 tickets for advance screenings in 20 locations across the UK
- Five pairs of tickets for the March 17th premiere
- 1 private screening for a person and 20 of their friends
- 20 Eddie-themed goody bags, which include a milk drinker’s glass, a soundtrack CD and a t-shirt
- 1 family ski holiday for four people in the Bavarian Alps
Claire Mackintosh, Brand Manager at Cravendale said: “We are very excited to have partnered with the ‘Eddie the Eagle’ movie. Eddie is a much-loved sporting hero, and his character is proof that milk is the drink of champions. His quirky character personifies everything that the Cravendale brand stands for, and through our social media activity we aim to encourage milk drinkers to choose Cravendale as their milk of choice.”
Simon Dunstan, Promotions Manager, Lionsgate UK adds: “The partnership with “Eddie the Eagle” and Cravendale was a natural fit. We’re delighted to be able to connect fans of the film and fans of Eddie with Cravendale through strategic, targeted and exciting promotions.”
In 2015, Arla Foods UK delivered its ambitions of growing the business by increasing its market share across most categories and through cost savings. It grew volumes sold and delivered its highest rate of branded sales¹ ever including. This included strong liquid milk category performance with Arla Cravendale® (up 2.1%).
This year will also see more support for Arla’s farmer-owned marque, underpinning its commitment to its farmer owners. The initiative is helping consumers better understand Arla’s cooperative model, by promoting the fact that buying its products, including Arla Cravendale, directly supports farmers.
Eddie the Eagle will be released in cinemas across the UK & Ireland by Lionsgate Films on 1st April 2016.About Cravendale:
Everything matters when it comes to making Cravendale. From the cows, to the clever way it’s filtered, that’s what makes Cravendale the milk drinker’s milk. That and the fact it’s filtered through ceramic pipes, meaning it stays purer, fresher and tastier for longer. Cravendale stays fresh for seven days once opened and 21 days unopened.
About ‘Eddie the Eagle’
Eddie the Eagle follows the realisation of the childhood dream of Michael Edwards (a.k.a Eddie), and his unflinching determination to become Great Britain’s first Olympic ski-jumper. Reluctantly aided by former ski-jumper Bronson Peary as his coach, Eddie is unwavering in his quest to reach the 1988 Calgary Winter Games. Eddie the Eagle is an uplifting, inspirational story that celebrates human spirit, passion, and one man’s refusal to accept defeat.
Taron Egerton (Kingsman: The Secret Service) stars as Eddie and Hugh Jackman (Wolverine) as coach Bronson Peary. The film isdirected by Dexter Fletcher (Sunshine on Leith) and produced by Matthew Vaughn (Kingsman: The Secret Service) alongside Adam Bohling, David Reid, Valerie Van Galder and Rupert Maconick.
Eddie the Eagle is joined by a supporting cast that includes Jo Hartley (‘This Is England’), Tim McInnerny (‘Blackadder’), Keith Allen (‘Robin Hood’), Iris Berban (‘Rosa Roth’) and Rune Temte (‘The Last Kingdom’), Christopher Walken (‘Catch Me If You Can’) and Jim Broadbent (‘Bridget Jones’ Diary’).