• by Larissa Faw , April 7, 2015

Children of the '80s and '90s are likely to remember Kraft's Country Time Lemonade's TV ads that featured a happy Grandpa who loved his lemonade mix and being around his family. 

After 14 years, Country Time Lemonade is once again returning to TV to connect with these viewers who are now likely to be parents with the intention of persuading them to buy today's version for their own families. 

Developed by VSA Partners, the "Take Time To Make Country Time" campaign promotes the newly introduced liquid concentrate beverage mix Country Time Lemonade Starter through the concept that by stirring up some Country Time, folks are making more than just lemonade, they’re creating memories.

In additional to TV spots, the campaign includes digital initiatives, the new Country Time Web site, online ads, and the Country Time Summer Mobile Porch Tour, a pop-up porch that will appear at grocery stores, concerts, beaches, and other venues in key markets across the U.S. In addition, one million product samples will be distributed at targeted events throughout the summer. 

“There's a moment where things slow down, where you become uninhibited and free and everything else kind of melts away. Those moments are pretty hard to come by these days,” says Bob Winter, executive creative director at VSA Partners. “We wanted to remind people they're still there, waiting for you. That's sort of what Country Time is -- a different kind of time.”

One key challenge was to evoke the essence of Country Time created by the big campaigns from a generation ago without the Grandpa character. The new campaign is designed to strike the right balance between nostalgia and relevance for today’s consumer.

Moreover, since this is a new product, the creative needed to teach users how to use the mix. To that end, VSA is communicating the simple “Flip, Pour, Stir” tagline on new the Web site and within online and TV ads, as well as through a more hands-on demonstration during the Summer Mobile Porch Tour. 

“In addition to creating that emotion, helping consumers understand the ease of using the product is crucial in converting them to buy,” says Joe Nio, associate partner and director of consumer marketing strategy at VSA Partners. “The product has to be applicable to their needs and ultimately, how they spend their time.”

This campaign is based on extensive testing. Executives strategically plotted the brand's return after the long absence to develop the right message aimed at the right buyer. As such, VSA teams worked with Kraft to conduct research and uncover insights to ultimately learn that moms are looking for an easy-to-make beverage that allows them more time to focus on what matters most: building family connections. 

VSA has worked with Kraft beverages, including Country Time, Kool-Aid, and Crystal Light, since 2013.