UK: Shepherd Neame aims for young males with new advertising campaign for Bishop's Finger

Shepherd Neame has launched a new advertising campaign for its award-winning Bishops Finger Kentish Strong Ale, The Publican released June 01.

The £250,000 campaign will see double-page spread press advertisements appearing in publications such as GQ, Time Out and FHM.

They will feature Chaucerian images of medieval maidens tempting beer drinkers to enjoy Bishops Finger with copylines such as “Nothing tickles my fancy like a Bishops Finger” and “I like mine strong, dark and handsome”. Each advertisement has a strapline declaring: “At 5.4 per cent it’s near the knuckle”.

Shepherd Neame chief executive Jonathan Neame said: "This is bold advertising with a bold media strategy. The adverts are amusing, entertaining and very striking. They have been pitched with half an eye on Chaucer and the Canterbury Tales. So anyone who might be concerned with the tone of the adverts should probably read some Chaucer!"

Sales and marketing director Graeme Craig said: “Bishops Finger was first brewed almost 50 years ago at our Faversham brewery, where we have been brewing ales continuously since 1698. We are now trying to attract drinkers in their 20s and 30s. We carried out focus group research and reaction to the ads has been extremely positive.”

The first burst of advertising will go on throughout June with another burst scheduled for the Autumn. There are eight different creatives, all with the Chaucerian theme, which will appear as press advertising.

New Bishop's Finger packaging has been designed for the off-trade, while a new embossed pump clip has been created and will be rolled out to Shepherd Neame customers from the end of june.

The beer is brewed to a charter which states it can only be brewed by the head brewer on a Friday. It is made using 100 per cent natural ingredients, Kentish hops and barley, and the brewery’s own artesian well water.

In the past year, Bishops Finger has won a silver medal in The Daily Telegraph Taste of Britain awards, its packaging has been redesigned with improved labelling and it has been launched in embossed 750ml bottles, designed for sharing over a meal, in addition to 500ml bottles and 440ml cans.

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