Dark Horses lands Lucozade before its centenary
- Aug 5
- 2 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
TL;DR: Lucozade has appointed Dark Horses as its lead creative agency ahead of its 100th anniversary — a creative reset for one of Britain's most iconic energy-drink names.
Lucozade Ribena Suntory has appointed Dark Horses as lead creative agency for Lucozade, signalling a creative-strategy reset for one of the UK's best-known energy drinks as it approaches a major milestone.
The appointment comes as the brand gears up for its 100th anniversary — a moment that gives any brand both a powerful storytelling hook and a reason to sharpen its positioning for the next era.
Why the timing is strategic
A centenary is a rare marketing asset: it confers heritage, trust and cultural permanence in a category — energy and sports drinks — that often chases novelty. Appointing a new creative partner now gives Lucozade runway to build toward the anniversary rather than scramble.
For Dark Horses, adding Lucozade to a roster already strong in sport and energy-adjacent brands is a significant win that deepens its category credentials.
Heritage as a competitive weapon
In a market crowded with new functional and energy entrants, 100 years of history is something no challenger can replicate. The opportunity is to make that longevity feel contemporary rather than nostalgic — proof of enduring relevance, not a museum piece.
Our read: the smart play will be to use the centenary as a springboard for reinvention, not just a retrospective. Heritage campaigns that only look backward tend to age the brand; the best use history to earn permission for what's next.
The lesson for established brands
If your brand has genuine longevity, treat it as an asset to be actively marketed, not a footnote. Trust and familiarity are increasingly scarce, and heritage is one of the few things a well-funded startup cannot buy.
The practical takeaway: audit your brand's history for stories worth telling, and pair them with a forward-looking idea so heritage reads as staying power, not stagnation.
Quick FAQ
Which agency did Lucozade appoint?
Lucozade Ribena Suntory appointed Dark Horses as lead creative agency for the Lucozade brand ahead of its 100th anniversary.
Why is the timing important?
A centenary offers a rare storytelling hook and a natural moment to reset positioning, giving the new agency runway to build toward the milestone.
What should the campaign avoid?
Leaning purely on nostalgia. The strongest heritage work uses history to earn permission for reinvention rather than simply looking backward.
— Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Marketing Minute
The takeaway: heritage is a scarce, un-buyable asset — market it forward, not just backward.
Does your brand's history read as staying power, or is it gathering dust as a footnote?
If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk
Sources: Campaign, Brand Spur.
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Written by Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Marketing Minute
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