It is replacing it with an £8.5m campaign based on the 'streetwise' slang used by 18- to 24-year-old men, as the brand aims to stay edgy in a market where growth of ready-to-drink brands is slowing.
'Lyriquid Perfection', a fusion of the phrases 'liquid perfection' and 'lyrical perfection', shows the language of young men discussing their nights out. For example, spotting a beautiful woman is known as 'starecase', while 'getting the look of shove' is an unsuccessful chat-up attempt. The TV and poster campaign, created by J Walter Thompson, breaks this week.
Smirnoff launched 'As clear as your conscience' in 1999. It helped propel the brand to number one in the total ready-to-drink market with 28% share (ACNielsen), but has been criticised by campaigners for its sexual connotations.
A Diageo spokesman denied the change in strategy was related to the company's increased commitment to promoting responsible drinking.
A JWT spokeswoman said research showed the 'As clear as your conscience' campaign, which had stretched to ten executions, had become predictable and Smirnoff Ice needed to stay edgy and unexpected to maintain its leadership in the maturing ready-to-drink market.
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