Beefeater keen to shed cheap' look

Published: 23 July, 2008

A new marketing campaign and bottle design highlighting Beefeater gin's London roots has been launched by Chivas Brothers, at a cost believed to be in excess of 10 million.

The campaign, which will not run in the UK in the short term', is centred around London imagery, while the new bottle features a new Yeoman, a silhouette of London landmarks such as Tower Bridge, and has the phrase Made In London' embossed on the side.

Martin Riley, Chivas' international marketing director, admitted that with the exception of Spain (the top European market for gin), Beefeater's image had declined', while the packaging lacked premium cues, and wasn't doing justice

to what was in the bottle'.

London-based design agency Design Bridge was hired to update the packaging, and the new bottles will be rolled out in May. Beefeater's brand director Nick Blacknell said that the look and feel of the previous packaging was fairly cheap', and that the new bottle bore a prouder, walking Yeoman'.

In the Spanish market, in which Beefeater is showing 10% growth in shipments, the brand will expand on its Londonize' PR campaign, which began with a fashion show in Madrid hosted by designer Zandra Rhodes.

Riley said that Beefeater was showing global growth of 5% by volume and 16% by value, and growth of 16% in the UK and 31% in Russia. Chivas Brothers has also refurbished the Beefeater distillery in south London, with a new cocktail bar, conference room and reception area, while a brand ambassador has also been appointed. Bartender Dan Warner will host distillery trips and look after education and training in the UK and abroad.

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