Jo Kent, Account Director
The perfect celebrity partnership
Sometimes the PR life can be really tough with deadlines coming out of your ears and a never ending workload. Other times, we’re lucky enough to meet some truly amazing, inspirational people and last week was no exception when I got the chance to meet the gorgeous and immensely talented Idris Elba – the new face of Purdey’s Thrive On campaign.
Launched @purdeys #ThriveOn #Advert today with this crew… @jamaledwards @oona_king @lukescheybeler @edibow pic.twitter.com/8iJx3yFueG
— Idris Elba (@idriselba) January 15, 2016
The partnership between Britvic’s botanical drink, Purdey’s, and celebrity A-lister and British icon, Idris Elba is centred on the strapline ‘Thrive On’. The campaign aims to inspire people to think and act outside of their comfort zone, embrace the endless possibilities that life presents and seize the opportunity to do more. The launch couldn’t have been more perfectly timed with the announcement coming a time of year when New Year’s resolutions are still fresh in our minds and we’re fully focused on making 2016 the best year yet, we were ready to be inspired!
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Is there anything Idris can’t do?
Having come from a humble background, Idris’ thriving ambition has known no limits and has seen him take on a series of high profile acting roles across television, stage and screen, as well as being an acclaimed musician, a sought-after DJ, a fashion icon, a successful entrepreneur and a passionate charity campaigner…the list goes on! So, as I’m sure you’ll agree, as far as inspirational people go, he’s right up there!
On Friday afternoon, Idris took to the stage at Purdey’s ‘Thrive On’ campaign launch event, alongside compere, Edith Bowman and a panel of other inspirational speakers including; Jamal Edwards (MBE), who launched his own YouTube channel, SB.TV, at the age of 15; British designer and entrepreneur, Luke Scheybeler; Labour Politian and former chief diversity officer of Channel 4, Oona King. On hearing each of the speakers talk about the obstacles they faced while striving to achieve their life goals, I was struck by the incredible determination, drive and ambition each of them hold. The discussion was both fascinating and inspiring, reflecting the campaign’s ethos perfectly.
G&Ps all round
Following the panel discussion, guests were treated to a series of “G&Ps” (Gin & Purdey’s) cocktails – all of which were absolutely delicious, though my personal favourite was Purdey’s Secret Garden, including a unique blend of gin, lime, rose petals and sage leaves – as well as the opportunity to network with these inspirational individuals, and to grab a selfie or two!
The consumer-facing aspect of the Thrive On campaign will launch in April with Idris introducing the public to the concept of thriving through a series of thought-provoking short films so be sure to watch this space and get your thrive on…
What a fantastic start to our partnership with @idriselba. We're ready to #ThriveOn pic.twitter.com/e6sl8m0SvN
— Purdey's (@Purdeys) January 15, 2016