Christmas drinks: Beer and cider

Dutch Gold eight-pack will be the highlight of the Christmas season with a promotional price flashed at €8.99

Beer retains the largest individual market share in value terms out of all alcoholic drinks categories. Once again it will drive sales during the festive party season

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Brand Central

Dutch Gold eight-pack will be the highlight of the Christmas season with a promotional price flashed at €8.99

Although all alcohol categories have experienced volume declines, latest DIGI figures show beer retains the largest individual value market share at 49.6%. Mintel reports cider also has “enormous potential to transcend its summer popularity and be drunk all-year round,” with men aged 18 to 44 most likely to want cold served drinks regardless of the season. Furthermore, recent launches such as Bulmers Pear and WKD Core are generating renewed interest in the category.

Low alcoholic variants are also thriving, with value and volume having both increased by around 10% in the last two years alone. And Manufacturers are meeting consumer demand for value through multi-packs flashed at enticing prices.

BARRY AND FITZWILLIAM

Christmas wouldn’t be the same without the award-winning Corona Extra, the number one selling Mexican beer in Ireland. “Get ready for the rush of customers,” says the distributor, which predicts a volume lift for Corona Extra 12-packs this Christmas, so keep the limes handy! With its distinctive yellow and blue branding, Corona Extra is citrus based with a pleasant malt and hop aroma, and a smooth refreshing finish. Offering excellent value and an essential party offering, Corona Extra is set to fly off the shelves this festive season. Corona is currently backed by an intensive radio, TV and national outdoor campaign.

For more information phone 021 4320900 (Cork)or 01 6671755 (Dublin) or email info@bandf.ie.

BULMERS

Although Bulmers has become an all year round drink of choice for consumers, as number three brand in the LAD market, the brand predicts a busy Christmas period in 2009.

For the festive season, Bulmers has introduced great value party packs, including: Bulmers Original 18 x 500ml can pack; Bulmers Original ‘9 for the price of 8’ 500ml can pack; and Bulmers Original 6 x 1 Litre bottle pack. Bulmers Light ‘6 for the price of 5’ 500ml can pack and Bulmers Pear ‘6 for the price of 5’ 500ml can pack have also been added to the range this year.
In addition, Bulmers Ltd responded to economic conditions this summer by reducing the price of its pint bottles by 10% at wholesale. This was supported by an ATL campaign with a TV ad featuring the strap line: “Bulmers Original Pint Bottle, the only cut we’ve made is to the price”.

A new Christmas ad campaign, featuring a new TV ad shot on location in Clonmel, will be rolled-out at the start of the Christmas season in December across TV and outdoor formats.

March 2009 saw the exciting launch of Bulmers Pear, supported by an award-winning campaign with the tagline “Embrace the Pear.” The marketing programme continued throughout the summer with a range of activity including a nationwide sampling campaign, radio promotions, and high-profile sponsorship. The Bulmers Pears made ap’pear’ances at events across the country encouraging consumers to ‘Embrace the Pear.’ These included the Trinity Ball, the Volvo Ocean Race, the Galway Races and various marathons.

Available in 568ml pint bottle, 330ml long neck, 500ml can and 6x330ml multi-pack, Bulmers Pear has quickly grown to become the number one pear cider brand in ROI on and off-trade.

Bulmers will launch New Recipe Bulmers Pear this month, which has improved drinkability and taste in line with consumer feedback.

Bulmers launches new campaign

Bulmers’ latest advertising campaign, which breaks this month, continues to tell the story of its orchard workers, previously wary of pears in their apple orchards in Clonmel, embracing the ‘new recipe’ Bulmers Pear.

Shot on location in Clonmel, the new 15-second TV commercial shows the workforce undergoing more ‘Pearapy’ with a group session where each orchard worker embraces a life-size pear.

Commenting on the campaign, marketing director, Stephen Kent said: “The embrace the ‘new recipe’ Pear campaign continues in the same humorous vein as the previous award-winning commercials, depicting a small vignette of the world of our apple-centric workers, who for generations have been making cider in Clonmel. This latest campaign explains how the newly refined recipe is now ‘pearfect’ and is gaining the acceptance of the orchard workers. Our decision to reformulate the recipe was taken based on consumer insight, and we now have a product which is significantly preferred by Irish consumers.”
Devised by Young Euro RSCG, the new Bulmers TV ad will be supported by an outdoor, radio and press campaign. For further details check out www.embracethepear.com.

COMANS

Dutch Gold has been given a new, more modern, innovative design, developed by Brand Union for Comans Wholesale. More up-to-date for its target market, Dutch Gold’s new image is now stronger and more impactful. Available in six-pack, eight-pack and 12-pack, it suits the needs of all consumers.

The eight-pack will be the highlight of the Christmas season with a promotional price flashed at €8.99. At only €1.12 per can, that’s the wow offer.

Dutch Gold has always been innovative in terms of marketing, which it believes is why it reached the third biggest selling can lager on the market. With its new design it will stand out on shelves, and deliver a quality product for a good value price.

Prazsky is right on the money for a competitive offer with its two new flashed packs.

The new look Guinness draught can is available just in time for Christmas

With its four-pack for €5 and its six-pack for €7.50, Prazsky is targeting all beer consumers with its great value deals in both formats.

Prazsky, brewed to a Czech tradition is made of the purest and finest ingredients. No additives and no preservatives, Prazsky is the genuine premium Czech lager.

Impactful on the shelves, thanks to an elegant design, Prazsky will appeal to all beer drinkers looking for a great quality beer at an excellent price.

DIAGEO

The contemporary new design for the Guinness draught can proudly features a larger harp logo on its front and reinforces the premium quality of the brand. To coincide with the new can design, a new visual identity has also been adopted across Guinness’ four and eight can packs. Packaging features a visual of a beautifully settling glass of Guinness, which together with the new iconic can design, will achieve great stand out on shelf. The new look can and identity will be used in Christmas promotional packs for 2009.

The new can and multi-pack designs are currently being supported by a heavyweight advertising campaign which is now live and includes TV advertising, radio, outdoor, press ads, and in-store promotions.

An exciting new launch for the Irish cider market

BRITVIC LICENCED WHOLESALE

WKD, Ireland’s best-selling PPS brand, is branching out into the cider market with the launch of new WKD Core. The new apple cider launched in July and brings a new dimension to the highly successful WKD range, aimimg to shake up the cider market.

Packaged in 500ml green bottles, WKD Core can now be found on-shelf and in chillers, next to ciders, in both the on and off-trade. A refreshing cider, consumers can choose to drink it with or without ice.

With an eye-catching outdoor advertising campaign and promotional sampling in pubs around the country, the brand is heavily supported and growing fast. 

HEINEKEN IRELAND

Heineken, Ireland’s number one lager, is continuously invigorating the category and leading innovation with products such as Heineken Draught Keg. Heineken enjoys 38.9% volume share of the total lager market (September Nielsen Report). With prolific sponsorships including the Heineken Cup, Champions League, Oxegen and the Heineken Green Spheres series, the brand continues to resonate with lager lovers and adds to all great music and sport experiences.

Heineken can is a favourite with consumers and holds the number one position in the off-trade, the highest percentage volume share of canned lager in the off-trade at 16.3% volume share of canned lager. (AC Nielsen, MAT August 09). Heineken Expression, an initiative to celebrate the Heineken Bottle, travelled the country providing yet another opportunity for enjoying lager experiences.

Coors Light has enjoyed another hugely successful year in 2009, now the fourth biggest lager brand in Ireland with 6.9% value market share. Coors Light draught is a clear consumer favourite achieving double-digit volume growth and now pouring in over 2,500 accounts nationwide. Coors Light is number two in the on-trade bottle market and has achieved the number one position in Dublin (AC Nielsen to end August 2009). Coors Light Peak, a consumer experience initiative this year, generated excitement for the brand and recruited new fans, with music and visual events held in docks around Ireland. Coors Light is taking a refreshing slant on Christmas packs with its ‘Party Season Boxed Off’ tagline, available in 20 and 10 bottle packs, and 24 and eight can pack formats.

Winner of the Monde Selection award for taste year on year, Murphy’s has successfully renewed and strengthened its relationship with successive generations of stout drinkers. With the holiday season approaching, Murphy’s new 6 x 50cl will be available for Christmas, supported with price and visibility activity for all of November and December. Throughout the year, the brand created excitement with Murphy’s Little Big Nights Out, bringing the best of free music, cinema, sports and food to Corkonians and more.

Winner of the Monde Selection international food quality award for Best in Stout in 2009, Beamish also raised awareness throughout the year through sponsorships in sport and music, including the Cork Folk Festival and Munster Senior League. Beamish is on the up with the brand performing almost 11% ahead of the stout market this year, and 2009 has also seen the brand move to its new home in Cork’s Lady’s Well Brewery as part of its integration into the Heineken Ireland portfolio. This amalgamation has helped see the continued expansion of Beamish to new accounts nationally, a programme which will continue extensively in 2010. For Christmas Beamish unveils an 8x50cl multi-pack at an amazing price point of €12.99. Beamish is also the only Irish stout brewed exclusively in Ireland, guaranteeing a uniquely consistent taste of the utmost quality.

Among Heineken’s portfolio of international brands, Paulaner is Germany’s number one weissbier and star of the now famous Oktoberfest, which returned to the Dublin Docklands this October. The Paulaner-sponsored beer festival was visited by over 100,000 people, and without a doubt has become one of the highlights of the autumn calendar.

This year, the Paulaner brand has been highlighted through the ‘Paulaner History in the Making’ campaign; a series of three original illustrations created to depict the history and heritage of Paulaner.

Having seen a 33% year-on-year increase in sales for the brand, the weissbier represents a significant opportunity for the trade this coming festive season. In addition, Paulaner Non-Alcoholic was launched by Heineken Ireland in response to increased consumer and trade demand for non-alcoholic beverages. Growing at 44% MAT (Nielsen, Sept ’09) the non-alcoholic market is a huge growth opportunity due to recent changes in Irish legislation. And consumer research found that Paulaner Non-Alcoholic has indexed higher versus competitors in consumer taste tests.

Birra Moretti, from the Friulli region of Italy, is pale in colour from its malted barley and maize base, but delivers a refreshing citrus aroma, associated with a hint of grain and fresh grass from the distinctive hops used. Heineken Ireland has recently introduced the Birra Moretti 4 x 33cl pack, which will be supported by promotions and visibility activity in November and December. Birra Moretti is by far the best performing beer in Italy and is set to be equally popular with Irish consumers.

The Sol brand has enjoyed rapid success in both on and off-trade channels since its arrival onto the Irish market in 2006. This original Mexican beer is deeply rooted in Mexico’s history, and its crisp refreshing taste has been enjoyed since the late 19th century. Sol is a 4.5% ABV bottled beer in a clear flint, perfect for the Christmas party season. It has become

Estrella Galicia is Northern Spain’s biggest selling beer, with 92% market share in the Galicia region

a popular choice among stylish drinkers, best served with a wedge of lime.

Finally, Zywiec is Poland’s number one premium beer, full-bodied but with a balanced bitterness and dryness, and decided malt character. At 5.6% ABV Zywiec is a real beer with a distinctive label. Heineken Ireland has recently strengthened the Zywiec brand with the launch of a new sleek four pack into the off-trade sector. The new four pack, which re

tails at €7.99, will now accompany the original 500ml bottle offering. The introduction of the new can offering is in response to the growing sector of Polish and Irish consumers who appreciate convenience and value. 

GREENLEA WINES

Distributed by Greenlea Wines, Estrella Galicia is Northern Spain’s biggest selling beer, and enjoys an enviable 92% market share in the Galicia region. It is made in La Coruna on Spain’s Northwest coast by the Rivera Family who have been brewing the fine beer since 1906. Followers of the Champions League and La Liga will be well aware of this brand from seeing it emblazoned across the shirts of the Deportivo La Coruna players.

In 2006, to celebrate 100 years of family brewing tradition, Estrella Galicia commemorated this milestone by introducing 1906 Reserva Especial, a very special, traditionally made beer. At 6.5% it is a rich, strong and noticeably well-made beer.

RICHMOND MARKETING

Miller Genuine Draft, Ireland’s fourth largest lager brand (AC Nielsen Aug 09), is now available with a new twist off cap, saving the need of running around looking for bottle openers this Christmas. Miller tells consumers to simply ‘Give It A Twist’ which is the theme of the brand’s new website, www.giveitatwist.ie.

To celebrate the launch of the new twist cap bottle, Miller Genuine Draft is running a photography-based competition where each week €250 will be awarded for the most interesting twist caught on camera. The best overall photograph chosen will win a trip with a twist to New York, and entries can be viewed and submitted at the new site.

To support trade customers, Miller Genuine Draft has a full range of point of sale available to communicate this promotion.

This Christmas Bavaria has a new 12 x 500ml party pack, price-flashed at €13.99

GLEESON GROUP

Bavaria is now the third-biggest selling canned lager in Ireland, and the biggest-selling canned lager in the symbol retail sector (AC Nielsen). With “absolutely phenomenal success” over the past number of years, Bavaria is set to have a very successful Christmas, says Gleeson.

This Christmas the group has introduced a new 12 x 500ml party pack, price-flashed at €13.99. Supported with a strong television campaign, Bavaria is available in a number of pack formats and strengths to suit all consumer tastes. Indeed, in 2009 Bavaria 330ml has become the fastest growing bottled lager in the off-trade, available in a six-pack, 10-pack and new 20 x 330ml party pack, price-flashed at €18.99. For more information visit www.Bavaria.ie. 

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