THE BRIEF

World renowned DJ Nicholas Fanciulli came to us with a frustration.

After decades at the top of global dance culture, soundtracking nightclubs, festivals, and after hours moments across the world, he could feel something had shifted. The energy was still there. The crowds were still there. But the rituals around drinking were changing.

While the drinks industry continued to sell the same tired promise, that you had to drink more and lose control to have a great time, people’s habits were evolving. A new generation of culture makers was quietly rewriting the rules of a night out.

They wanted all the pleasure, without the hangover or the punishment the next day. Nic saw the opportunity not just for a new product, but for a true challenger brand, one bold enough to question the assumptions big alcohol had long imposed on nightlife.

It sparked a bigger ambition: to build a new kind of drinks brand, rooted in nightlife, culture, and confidence, but without alcohol at its core. Not an alternative, but a challenger brand designed to redefine what a great night feels like.

THE CHALLENGE

The problem? The global drinks market is brutal. And this wasn’t a venture backed by vast budgets or legacy distribution power. It was being built as a true challenger brand, with limited resources but unlimited ambition. Expectations were high. Budgets were not.

That meant doing what challenger brands do best. Refusing to play by the category’s rules. Rejecting convention. And embracing defiance. Because building a meaningful challenger brand has never been about playing it safe.

WHAT WE FOUND

We began the strategic process by stepping back and thinking far beyond communications, first identifying the strongest category opportunity and positioning for a true challenger brand in the drinks space.

Early conversations explored entering the energy drink category. A territory closely linked to nightlife, performance, and late nights. But the reality was clear. Energy was already crowded, dominated by giants like Red Bull and Monster. Brands with decades of head starts, deep cultural ownership, and vast marketing budgets.

So we stepped back.

Through deep cultural analysis, category mapping, and brutally honest strategic thinking, we spotted something more interesting hiding in plain sight. The no and low alcohol space was growing fast, but it had become formulaic.

Most no and low brands positioned themselves as alternatives, not desires. Softer. Slower. Safer. Wrapped in the language of restraint and responsibility. Designed to help you opt out, rather than fully opt in.

They were almost apologetic substitutes for alcohol, offering little in the way of excitement, energy, or reward.

That was the opening. Not just to create another no and low product, but to build a true challenger brand, one bold enough to take alcohol on head first, and smart enough to deliver real benefits. A drink that offered a genuine, healthy high.

What we did

We didn’t enter the category politely. We entered it swinging.

Our strategic platform was as simple as it was provocative:

“We believe rules are meant to be broken.”

The rules we set out to challenge were those imposed by big alcohol. We took on, head first, the idea that you needed booze to feel a buzz or have a good time.

That strategy shaped everything, including product development. Working with specialists and scientists, we created a completely new formula for the no and low category. A blend of 27 unique, health focused ingredients designed to deliver a gentle, euphoric buzz.

Positioning and Identity

We positioned Soba Circus as the rebellious outlier in the no and low world. A true challenger brand that does not whisper about moderation, but laughs in the face of outdated drinking culture.

Visually, we rejected the soft pastels and wellness minimalism dominating the category. Instead, we built an identity that felt bold, confident, and slightly dangerous. Closer to a fashion label or underground club than a health product.

This was a brand designed to be worn, held, and photographed. An object of desire. Something you would be proud to order at the bar, not explain. A challenger brand built to stand out, not blend in.

Naming

We named the brand Soba Circus. A deliberate collision of meanings.

Soba. Clarity, presence, awareness.

Circus. Chaos, spectacle, performance, fun.

Together, they captured the brand’s central tension. You can be fully present and fully playful. Sharp minded and mischievous. In control without being boring. It did not sound like a drinks brand. And that was the point.

PRODUCT & COMMS

Working closely with the founders, we shaped everything from product positioning to communication strategy. We defined how the brand shows up in nightlife spaces, online culture, and social feeds, always with the same underlying attitude. Anti preachy. Anti corporate. Anti big alcohol BS.

We helped craft a tone of voice that is confident, witty, and knowing. Never defensive about being no and low. Never apologetic for not fitting in.

This was not about replacing alcohol. It was about making big alcohol feel a little outdated.

OUR RESULTS

Launched in January 2026, Soba Circus delivered record breaking debut sales. It is now available across leading nightclubs, members’ clubs, and online in both the UK and USA.