Jamba Juice Tryst with Twilight Saga is a Bite in the Right Direction

Jamba Juice is stepping out in a big way — with a major promotional effort around the fourth film in the Twilight saga, Breaking Dawn, Part 2, which premieres in November. The Emeryville, Calif.-based brand has been gradually expanding its product line and distribution points and looking for ways to become a lifestyle brand a la Starbucks.

While its fans are used to sucking on smoothies, the vampire fan demo may seem something of a departure for the smothie stalwart — but teaming up with what is still one of the hottest movie franchises around is bound to resonate with Jamba's female target audience. That's why Jamba has partnered with Lionsgate's Summit Entertainment for a multi-element campaign around the new Twilight installment.

The tie-in includes a new mixed-berry smoothie flavor called "Berry Bitten," a collection of Twilight slap bracelets, a Facebook-based sweepstakes offering tickets to the movie's Hollywood premiere on November 12, full-pages ads in magazines in cluding In Touch and Life & Style, and regional promotions run by franchisees.

The buzz value could be huge for Jamba, which has 783 locations, primarily in western states, plus Canada and overseas, as well as a growing presence as a licensed CPG brand in supermarket aisles and even a foothold in many public schools with its Jamba Go foodservice kiosk.

Even more, the Twilight gambit clearly represents a next step toward achieving what CEO James White really wants to do with the brand, which is broaden it perceptually as well as in terms of product and outlet count.

"Where the core equities of Jamba Juice have the most impact on consumers, and where we're really dialing in on the idea of being a multicategory lifestyle brand, we're pushing hard," White told brandchannel.

The Twilight promotion ought to take a big bite out of that objective.