• by Teresa Buyikian , Yesterday

Ariana Madix, host of the insanely popular “Love Island USA,” has taken on a new role reminiscent of her past career -- promoting Suntory’s new Maru-Hi ready-to-drink (RTD) sparkling cocktail variety pack.

The former bartender and “Vanderpump Rules” alum stars in Suntory’s latest social and online campaign for the launch of its variety pack, containing strawberry, pineapple, kiwi and traditional citrus flavors.

And Madix has quite the following to tap into. With “Love Island” in its seventh season on Peacock, the show is now the platform's most-watched original series in history; this season is garnering 18.4 billion streaming minutes. Madix has 2.8 million followers on Instagram alone.

In social and online posts, as seen here, Madix encourages fans to “post their own #LoveMaruHi inner circle moments” to win a chance to appear on her Instagram. In one execution highlighting the sociable nature of the RTD, she says, “If you're not kicking off your night with Maru-Hi, you're doing it wrong.”

“Not only is Ariana a pop culture fixture …. she’s also a former bartender, making her the perfect partner to bring Maru-Hi’s ‘inner circle’ spirit to life,” says Satoru Shimizu, president of RTD North America at Suntory in the announcement.

“Inspired by Japanese izakaya culture, Maru-Hi is rooted in sharing real moments with your circle, and Ariana’s loyal fanbase and cultural relevance make her a natural fit to tell this story,” added David Roth, creative director at Argonaut, which created the campaign.

Relatively new to the U.S., the 5% ABV Maru-Hi is a malt-based beverage which, according to Suntory, “is a new take on the Chu-hi,” a traditional Japanese bar cocktail made with shochu (a distilled spirit typically made from rice), and juice served over ice. Individual packs are also available in each flavor.

The campaign runs on social and paid digital as well as retail point-of-sale.