Hobgoblin gets 21st century facelift
The well-known brand, which produces more than 130,000 barrels per year from its home at the Wychwood Brewery in Witney, Oxfordshire, has undergone a modern makeover that its producers hope will attract the next generation of drinkers.
As reported in its On-Trade Beer Report 2019-2020, Marston’s – the owner of Hobgoblin – found that ale drinkers are generally older, with 49% of drinkers aged 50-plus compared to 34% of lager drinkers.
The brand’s award winning portfolio, including Hobgoblin Ruby, the UK’s third most popular premium bottled ale; Hobgoblin Gold; World’s Best Gold award winner in 2017; and Hobgoblin IPA World’s Best IPA 2018-2019 winner at the World Beer Awards; will boast new branding in an effort to transform its products from being seen as a seasonal Halloween beer to something more mainstream.
While new-look Hobgoblin products are already available in supermarkets, cask and keg products sporting Hobgoblin’s updated branding will be available for pubs from 1 November onwards.
Bold change
Hobgoblin and its beers are synonymous with a rebellious state of mind after the brand hijacked Stella Artois World Draught Master in 2010 to question ‘what’s the matter lagerboy?’ before naming and shaming MPs not in support of beer duty cuts in 2013.
The brand’s rethink follows similar steps by Kent-based brewer Shepherd Neame and Greene King, which rebranded their respective historic Spitfire and Old Speckled Hen ales earlier this year.
Against a backdrop of modern clamour for fantasy and medieval themes, as evidenced by the popularity of TV series Game of Thrones, it is hoped Hobgoblin’s facelift will make its portfolio more accessible to new drinkers.
Discussing the brand’s new aesthetic, brand manager Jo Wyke explained: “This is a bold change for Hobgoblin.
“We know how much it is celebrated as the leader of the pack and its legacy among great British beers, so we wanted to make sure we tested the new look, researched and tested again, ensuring we kept the character that everyone expects from Hobgoblin.
“The design revamp is just the beginning of the journey we want to take our new consumer on and it will be the quality, taste and range of the beers that will keep everyone coming back.”
