Nescafe has signed a £1m deal to sponsor a global Ministry of Sound club tour this summer. Wide-eyed clubbers, from London to Ibiza, could be offered hot coffee as they emerge from night clubs in the early hours, or handed sachets of Nescafe to "help overcome the next day hangover".
As well as running competitions for entry to special club nights, the deal includes splashing the Nescafe brand on CDs of the tour and other merchandise.
Nescafe will also try to leverage its position as exclusive supplier of coffee to Burger King, which has a high footfall of young consumers.
The coffee giant is in negotiations to increase the prominence of its brand in Burger King outlets and to promote its link with Ministry via burger outlets.
Additionally, Nescafe is stepping up its involvement with homeless charity Shelter, which has high support among young people.
Despite the rise of Starbucks and other coffee shops, Nestle says coffee consumption among 16- to 24-year-olds is significantly down on five years ago. In-home consumption, where Nescafe holds 55% of the market, has been hit particularly hard.
"Soft drinks and mineral waters are eroding coffee drinking among young people,
said Simon Thong, Nescafe brand strategy marketing manager. "We need to make coffee relevant again to young consumers. There's an element of having to make it cool again."
The youth drive is a key part of Nestle's £30m relaunch of Nescafe Original this year. It began with a new ad strategy early this year, embodied in the 'Hairy Ford Cortina' ad through McCann-Erickson.
Nescafe's youth work has so far focused on its sponsorship of MTV's 'making the video' weekend, which will continue this year.
Youth marketing specialists are becoming increasingly critical of big corporate brands slapping their logo on youth culture events, but Thong believes Nescafe can avoid a backlash.
"I'm very conscious of not overblowing the Nescafe presence at club nights. I want to avoid the vicar in a disco syndrome,
he said.
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