UK: The launch of marketing push for Marston

WDB that the UK's largest premium cask ale producer announced on November 3rd, launched a £ 2 million marketing push for flagship Marston's Pedigree brand this November.

Spearheading the campaign are Pedigree posters designed to take a deliberate departure from traditional beer advertising with some striking photography and copy more akin to contemporary brands.

Largely focused across the Central and North West region, it is the first heartland drive the brand has run for three years, previously focusing on broader national exposure. It is being supported nationally with tactical ads on TV during key football fixtures, and in broadsheet newspapers.

The ads reinforce Marston's innovative £1m trade initiative CaskForce, which has been developed to drive beer quality across the UK's 25,000 plus tenanted and free trade pubs, and gives licensees the chance to win training packages and a top prize of a year's rent for free. CaskForce is being run in conjunction with key trade title Morning Advertiser and is supported by industry bodies BII and Cask Marque.

Peter Jackson, WDB Brands Director of Marketing, said: "This is great work and a departure from the norm. Drinkers in our Midland and North West heartland have tremendous passion for Marston's brands - Pedigree in particular - and the campaign provides a great opportunity to drive this reaffirmation and quality programme.

"Marston's brands never forget their roots, which makes them so special. The focus of the work is to communicate this to drinkers; the campaign photography was shot in a heartland pub and features real people, not models. The message is succinct."

Marston's head brewer Steve Brooks and beer quality manager Jim Bligh are featured in the ads, which were photographed at the Hawk and Buckle pub in Etwall, Derbyshire. Steve and Jim, whose jobs are to ensure Marston's beer reaches the bar in top condition, reinforce the brand’s 'Don’t Compromise' maxim.

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