Carlsberg promo aims to boost Eve

Manicure brand Nails Inc and hairdressing chain Toni & Guy have joined forces with Carlsberg to promote new female-friendly brand, Eve.

Ex-pop-star and footballer's wife Louise Redknapp has also been signed up as the face of Eve, as part of a £3m marketing push.

David Scott, director of customer marketing at Carlsberg, told the Morning Advertiser that the target was to get the brand listed in 5,500 pubs by the end of the year and as a result two thirds of the money would be spent on activities in bars and pubs rather than glossy consumer advertising campaigns.

"What we want to do is really help the venues that stock Eve to get good visibility, staff support and build a loyal consumer base from there," he said. "Our aim is to get a brand ambassador into 70% of UK venues, all of which will be target outlets for the brand. The ambassadors will train staff on serving Eve in a champagne flutes, merchandising and run consumer sampling events."

Of that 70% Scott said 1,500 venues would qualify for a "gold visit" and 100 for a "platinum" visit, which will include Nails Inc manicurists, consumer competitions to win a day shopping with Redknapp, as well as training and sampling.

Eve was trialled for three months in Manchester before the brewer took the decision to roll out the brand nationwide. It comes in two flavours, passion fruit and lychee, and the only change that has been made since the trial is a shift from a 250ml bottle to a new 275ml one.

The drink is made with water, hops and barley but the brewer is not positioning it as a flavoured beer for women, but as a "spritzer drink" or malted beverage.

Research suggested that women simply did not respond well to the word beer, said the brewer.