Molson Coors' pub support to expand

Molson Coors' Carling campaign to get one million people back into pubs will be expanded to run across all its brands next year.

For 2010, the Burton-based brewer said it would repeat the initiative, but promote it across more of its brands, which include Grolsch, Coors Light and Cobra.

"The campaign aimed at getting one million people down the pub really supports our customers," said sales director for the free on-trade, Steve Ellis.

"So, for 2010, we are planning a similar campaign, but will run it across our whole portfolio of brands and not just for Carling."

The brewer claims some 22% of people have never set foot in their local and this year's campaign, launched in May, aimed to boost pub trade by persuading those people to try out pubs in the region for the first time and lure lapsed consumers back in.

"There are a lot of differ-ent ways to spend your leisure money nowadays, and pubs have more competition," said Ellis.

"The campaign is just one of the things we are doing to make ourselves more relevant to today's consumer, but we also need to find ways to take part in these new leisure pursuits."

The Carling campaign worked through targeted offers promoting local pubs and included giving away £10,000-worth of advertising space to local pubs during Carling Cup football matches this September.

It also saw over six million vouchers sent to consumers in May and June. The initiative included a range of promotions tailored to individual outlets, designed to increase the rate of sale and pub profits in participating venues.

It formed part of a £10m spend on the Carling brand in the on-trade for 2009 — double the previous year's investment in the brand.