Lucozade

Lucozade is an umbrella name for a series of Energy and Sports drinks. The original Lucozade, now called Lucozade Energy, is an energy drink containing glucose syrup and is produced by GlaxoSmithKline plc in Gloucestershire. It was first manufactured in 1927 by a Newcastle chemist, who experimented for several years to provide a source of energy for those who are sick. It became available throughout the UK for use in hospitals under the name Glucozade. This was changed to the recognizable Lucozade in 1929.

The company then became part of the Beecham and after mergers, by SmithKline Beecham, then in 2000, GlaxoSmithKline. In 1953, a factory was opened in Brentford, which (until 2004) had an iconic sign seen next to the side of the M4 (now in Gunnersbury Park Museum). People in Brentford were apparently deeply upset when the sign was removed. Lucozade (with Ribena) is now made at the Royal Forest Factory at Coleford in the Forest of Dean.

The product was sold in a glass bottle with a Cellophane wrap until 1983, when the advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather set about rebranding Lucozade as an energy drink. The slogan "Lucozade aids recovery" was replaced by "Lucozade replaces lost energy", and the ad campaign featured the world and olympic champion decathlete Daley Thompson with a soundtrack of the Iron Maiden song Phantom of the Opera. The original packaging was changed to polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottling. The effect of the rebranding was dramatic: between 1984 and 1989, the value of UK sales of the drink tripled to almost $150 million.

Additional recommended knowledge

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Lucozade Sport Football

Lucozade Sport is the official drink of the FA and the FA Premier League. Lucozade Sport Football also has partnerships with three of the top Premier League clubs, Manchester United FC, Arsenal FC and Liverpool FC. Lucozade Sport has been the official drink of the FA Premier League since its inception in 1992. Lucozade Sport became the official drink of the FA in 2007. On the Lucozade Football website [1], in the Football Giveaways section [2], there are regular competitions to win FA Premier league tickets, as well as signed merchandise.

Lucozade Sport Sponsorships

Lucozade Sport is a major sponsor of events, teams and athletes in the UK and Ireland including the Amateur Rowing Association (ARA), FA Premier League, FA Cup, England Rugby Football Union, England Football Team, The Republic Of Ireland Football Team, The London Marathon, Michael Owen, Steven Gerrard, Damien Duff, and Jonny Wilkinson.

Lucozade Sport with Caffeine Boost

In 2007, Lucozade Sport launched a new sub-brand, Lucozade Sport with Caffeine Boost.[3] Lucozade Sport with Caffeine Boost contains 16mg of Caffeine per 100ml. The average caffeine intake of a UK citizen is 200mg per day. Caffeine is not a prohibited substance in sport, and is used by a variety of sportsmen and women. Lucozade Sport is sugar-free, sweetened with the potential carcinogen, Aspartame.

Lucozade Hydro Active

Lucozade Hydro Active [4] is a hypotonic exercise drink. Lucozade stress that the drink replaces essential fluids lost in exercise and that as little as 2% dehydration can seriously affect performance. The product is available in Citrus Fruits flavour, Summer Fruits flavour and a powdered mix [5].

Lucozade Sports Science Academy

The Lucozade Sports Science Academy Lucozade Sport Science Academy is Lucozade's research arm, that has been carrying out Sports Nutrition research for over 30 years. The LSSA works in partnership with leading universities, coaches, nutritionists and sports professionals. The Director is John Brewer.

Hypoglycaemia

Lucozade is a quick-acting carbohydrate that can be used to treat hypoglycaemia. To substantiate the new claims on bottles of Lucozade that it is 'brain and body' energy there are now significant levels of caffeine present in the Lucozade Solstis variety, making it unsuitable to persons sensitive to this ingredient. Lucozade Solstis is an analogue to Red Bull with taurine added.

In pop culture

• Lucozade drink was advertised in a computer game Superfrog (1993). In the game a main character, Superfrog, got its powers and extra energy by drinking Lucozade.
• Lucozade is also referred to as "Hospital Champagne", as mentioned in the Godley and Creme song "Get Well Soon".
• A bottle of Lucozade tainted with a biological weapon initiates a plague of zombies in the 1998 film Bio Zombie.
• Lucozade is mentioned in London-based rapper M.I.A.'s song 'XR2', off of her 2007 album Kala
• In the film Trainspotting, Renton procures a bottle of Lucozade (among other things) in his attempt to wean himself from heroin. [See 'Addiction' below.]

Trivia

• At one point, Lara Croft was a spokesperson for the brand and the name on bottles was temporarily changed to Larazade.[6]
• Hijackers planned to smuggle liquid explosives onboard passenger aircraft in Lucozade bottles during the 2006 transatlantic aircraft plot^{[citation needed]}
• Lucozade contains 0.01% of Ethyl alcohol, which stopped Muslims from being allowed to drink it until, in 2004, the Muslim Law Council decreed no one would be committing a religious crime if they drank it.
• One litre of Lucozade Energy contains 700 KCal.

Video clips

• 1980s Mod scooter advert
• Tomb Raider commercials
• Tomb Raider 'outtakes'
• Lucozade Sport with Michael Owen
• Ghoulish advert - The Lucozade Within
• Lucozade Hydro

News items

- Lucozade sign on M4 at GSK's HQ in Brentford removed in 2004