Amstel focuses on laid-back drinking
Amstel is to launch a new marketing campaign that aims to help Britain experience the laid-back drinking culture of Amsterdam and promises advertising posters within 200 metres of all pubs currently serving the brand.
The £1.1m "Bar Amstel" campaign, launching on July 2, features advertising images shot using "reportage" style photography - realistic pictures of people from a cross section of society in spontaneous situations. The posters will run on 1,000 sites, predominantly in cities with a strong Amstel presence, including London, Cardiff, Leeds, Bristol and Manchester.
There will be advertising in London Underground stations and on bus stops in Leeds, which will include flashing neon logos.
Amstel is also sponsoring the Big Chill music festival in August, for which it will be running regional radio campaigns and ticket giveaways.
Parent company Heineken UK hopes Bar Amstel will build on 2006's "The Amstel Way" campaign, which promoted sociable, relaxing and responsible drinking. Amstel brand manager Toby Shaw says the advertising is intended to differentiate the 4.1 per cent ABV brand from the 5 per cent ABV Heineken. It is also designed to address continuing concerns over binge drinking and the move to continental style café culture.
Shaw says: "The campaign was inspired by the easy-going, un-pretentious drinking culture of Amsterdam and Bar Amstel is all about relaxing with friends, trying new things and meeting new people.
"This is a very different move away from most lager ad campaigns. This is much more open and egalitarian than the lads getting together to go down to the pub."
