Drinks company ready for 'busiest time of the year'
Barstaff education, tastings - and drinking sparkling wine through a straw - are leading Pernod Ricard UK's assault on the on-trade this Christmas.
General manager Ian Tottman promised that the company's newly combined wines and spirits sales force means that it will be working "even more closely with our customers to prepare for the busiest time of the year".
The run-up to the festivities will also see initiatives behind brands such as Jacob's Creek, Jameson, Pernod, Havana Club, Black Bush and Aberlour.
- Jacob's Creek is being launched in a single-serve, 200ml sparkling chardonnay pinot noir exclusive to the on-trade, backed by ice buckets, designer straws and other point-of-sale material. The Australian wine range will be the subject of new magazine and poster ads as well as PR to link the brand with innovative recipe and food ideas in a £750,000 spend
- Jameson, the leading Irish whiskey, will see its first cinema ads in another £750,000 campaign that targets young adults in London and the North East
- Pernod will target key bars with washroom posters and postcards to reinforce the spirit's mixability
- Havana Club white rum continues its international cocktail competition and holds the UK final of its Havana Club Class Party at London venue Nylon on November 18 in front of 500 bartenders from around the country
- Black Bush is also targeting the style bar sector and will be rolling out a new branded shaker following a successful trial at the Sugar Bar in Leeds
- Aberlour (pictured) will be supported by a direct mail campaign for the malt whisky.
New bar visibility kits and 1.5 litre Optics for both Pernod and Jameson aim to encourage trial in key outlets and tastings will be built around Jacob's Creek and South African wine brand Long Mountain.
"Barstaff education and sampling plays an important part in our pre-Christmas activity which, with all the other initiatives, will help build consumer demand for our brands," said Ian.