UDV unleashes its seasonal offensive
UDV has unveiled new marketing campaigns and on-trade initiatives for its leading brands in the run-up to Christmas and the New Year.
In an attempt to improve its four per cent share of the UK scotch whisky market, Johnnie Walker Black Label is releasing its first global advertising campaign onto British TV and cinema screens.
The new advertisement, featuring cult actor and Hollywood film star Harvey Keitel, echoes a shift within the whisky sector away from its traditional association with heather and bagpipes towards a trendier image aimed at recruiting younger drinkers.
Despite Johnnie Walker's status as the world's number one scotch whisky, UDV has, until now, refrained from heavyweight promotional activity in the UK and has instead led with its leading Bell's brand, aimed at the older whisky drinker.
UK brand manager, Stewart Herdman, said: "I am very excited by our campaign and feel it is perfectly targeted at our 25 to 40-year-old male premium whisky consumers.
"These drinkers are contemporary, opinion leaders and they are looking for a premium whisky with a modern image that reflects their own lifestyle and values.
A new radio and press advertising campaign has also been earmarked for Gordon's Gin.
The new "You can only be Truly Great at one thing" advertisements are aimed at consolidating the brand's popularity among its 40-year-old-plus target audience.
They differ in approach from earlier unsuccessful campaigns designed to move Gordon's away from the established "Gin and Jag" market.
In addition to a new TV and cinema advertising campaign, Bailey's is to promote "large measures over ice" at more than 20,000 outlets nationwide through extensive POS material and the introduction of new 50ml Optics.
Southern Comfort is set to follow up its sponsorship of the TV programme Big Brother with a £1million poster campaign and a "Southern Impact" sampling drive aimed at promoting the drink as a shot.
Other developments include TV advertising campaigns for both Smirnoff vodka and Bell's scotch whisky and a radio and washroom campaign aimed at female drinkers for Archers peach schnapps.
