John Smith's in "nosh" push
Traditional pub food is to be given a promotional push with the launch of a new campaign from bitter-brand John Smith's.
The John Smith's No Nonsense Nosh promotion is aimed at celebrating "food without fuss" as well as encouraging drinkers to choose a pint of beer as the perfect accompaniment to pub grub.
Steak and kidney pie, bangers and mash, fish and chips and lasagne are among the traditional pub grub dishes being promoted by the No Nonsense Nosh campaign.
"We want to push John Smith's as a perfect beer to drink with food," said brand manager Roz Cormack. "It's not fizzy and it has a definite, but not overpowering, flavour."
Promoting beer with food is big news among brewers at the moment, with Coors, Interbrew and Greene King among the companies launching campaigns to persuade drinkers to choose beer instead of wine.
According to research by Alcovision, 12 per cent of all Guinness drunk is drunk with food, 14 per cent of Stella Artois, but just 4.8 per cent of John Smith's.
"We felt we were missing something," said Ms Cormack. "John Smith's is a good beer to drink with food - and its "no nonsense" image makes it perfect for traditional pub grub."
As part of the campaign, John Smith's brewer Scottish Courage is launching No Nonsense Nosh week which starts on April 21.
It has got 1,000 pubs involved with the promotion and will be distributing specially-designed point-of-sale material, branded A-boards, menu boards and recipe sheets so licensees can make the most of the campaign.
Three hundred Scottish & Newcastle Retail pubs will also be offering meal deals during April selling bangers and mash with a pint of John Smith's for a set price.
The promotion will also be supported with a national press and radio campaign, featuring comedian Peter Kay who appears in the bitter's television adverts.
Ms Cormack said: "A no nonsense pint coupled with no nonsense nosh provides a perfect combination and the scheduled raft of in-outlet and media activity will make it virtually impossible for customers to resist a pint of the UK's favourite ale with their meal, so go on - 'ave it!"
