Havana Club to align itself with new Auf Wiedersehen series

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Havana Club is moving its publicity through the gears in preparation for a forthcoming series of Auf Wiedersehen Pet, which will be set in Cuba.The...

Havana Club is moving its publicity through the gears in preparation for a forthcoming series of Auf Wiedersehen Pet, which will be set in Cuba.

The Pernod-Ricard rum brand, owned jointly with the Cuban government, is delighted at the BBC's decision to take the series, which follows the hilarious and often dramatic exploits of a gang of builders, there.

Marketing man Adriaan Eksteen said: "This is excellent news. All things Cuban are very fashionable in the UK at the moment, and this will make them even more fashionable.

"We are working out how to capitalise on the series, and we are thinking big."

Plans may include consumer competitions, large poster sites and cinema advertising, but nothing has been finalised so far.

There is no opportunity for advertising or sponsorship as this is a BBC series, but there may be windows for product placement.

In the series, heroes Oz, Bomber and the gang swap their beers for Mojitos and become embroiled with an intriguing plot to rebuild the British Embassy in Havana, as a result of which one of them is recruited as a spy.

The timing of the news could not be better for Havana Club, which is embarking on the transition from cult status to mainstream brand in the UK. After years perfecting its technique in the style bar circuit, the brand has just won a listing at JD Wetherspoon, replacing arch-rival Bacardi. It also has several listings in major supermarkets.

Auf Wiedersehen Pet made the transition from cult following to mass audience hit many years ago and the last series, filmed in the North East of England and Arizona, was very popular with viewers.

The next series, according to a BBC spokeswoman, will hit the screens "possibly later this year but more likely early next year".

Mr Eksteen is keen that the brand maintains its reputation for quality as it moves to a wider audience.

He said: "We have invested a lot of time and effort in developing the premium image of Havana Club and we have to be very careful as we take the brand to the next level."

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