Brand

JD Wetherspoon says it is 'not a brand'

06-Nov-2018 By Emily Hawkins

Pub giant JD Wetherspoon said it does not think of itself as a ‘brand’, following its success at the 2018 World Branding Awards.

Brand management: getting your pub's marketing on point

23-Feb-2018 By Claire Churchard

Your pub brand can be the key to financial success or the tether that holds you back. The Morning Advertiser examines some (in)famous brands that always, well mostly, seem to get it right.

Westons launches new design for Stowford Press low-alcohol cider

24-Jan-2018 By James Beeson

Premium cider maker Westons has revamped the packaging of its low-alcohol cider brand Stowford Press LA, as it seeks to tap into the trend towards drinking in moderation.

Exclusive

Westons Cider launches new branding and outlines growth plans

11-Oct-2017 By James Beeson

Westons Cider has unveiled a new-look logo and corporate brand identity, as the company seeks to grow its business by 40% by 2023.

Camden Town Brewery launches inaugural TV campaign

07-Sep-2017 By James Beeson

Camden Town Brewery is to launch its first TV advertising campaign, The Morning Advertiser can reveal. 

Stonegate 'repositions' Slug & Lettuce brand to lure Millennials

07-Aug-2017 By Georgina Townshend, Helen Gilbert

Stonegate has repositioned the Slug & Lettuce pub brand to appeal to the Millennial market.

VK advert on Facebook banned over ‘irresponsible drinking’

14-Jun-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has upheld a complaint that Global Brands owned VK promoted unwise drinking styles and an advert placed on Facebook was “socially irresponsible”.

Exclusive on-trade berry cider launched by Westons

02-May-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

Westons has added a berry flavour to its super-premium brand, Mortimer’s Orchard, available exclusively to the on-trade.

Sheppy’s new £100k rebrand ‘critical’ for growth

27-Apr-2017 By Nicholas Robinson

Cider brand Sheppy’s redesign was critical to continue the brand’s growth and bolster its planned advance in the on-trade, The Morning Advertiser (MA) understands.

Carlsberg hoping for Mads success with Export relaunch

20-Apr-2017 By Ed Bedington

Carlsberg is set to launch a £15m revitalisation of its brands this Friday (21 April) with a campaign fronted by Danish superstar actor Mads Mikkelsen.

Boddingtons reunites with Melanie Sykes at the Publican Awards

16-Mar-2017 By Nikkie Sutton

AB InBev has announced the return of an iconic brand partnership by reuniting Boddingstons and TV presenter Melanie Sykes two decades after the first airing of the much-loved adverts.

Publican Awards

Meet the Publican Awards nominees: Best Value Food Offer

09-Jan-2017 By Liam Coleman

Here are the four companies that excel and innovate with their food offer, despite the average meal costing less than £12.50 per head.

The Drinks List: Top 100 Brands

07-Dec-2016 By Nicholas Robinson

Drinking habits are changing as consumers are faced with more choice than ever, but in The Morning Advertiser's Drinks List: Top 100 Brands, there is a positive story showing a healthy mix of the long-established mainstream brands sitting alongside...

Spirits

Lucas Bols appoints UK brand ambassador

30-Nov-2016 By James Evison

Premium and super-premium spirits firm Lucas Bols has announced its UK brand ambassador. 

Cider

Cider is taking a new direction

26-Sep-2016 By Nicholas Robinson

Packaged cider is growing in popularity among customers, but fridges and back bars are as tight on space as ever before. Getting the balance right could make or break your cider sales, Nigel Huddleston reports

Camden Town Brewery launches branding following AB InBev buyout

10-Jun-2016 By Oli Gross

Camden Town Brewery has launched new branding, website and advertising campaign following its buy-out by AB InBev.

drinks marketing

BrewDog may face legal challenge from Wolves FC over Lone Wolf branding

31-May-2016 By Emily Sutherland

Scottish craft brewer BrewDog has been warned it could face legal action from football club Wolverhampton Wonders over the branding of its new spirits arm Lone Wolf

Spirits

BrewDog reveals Lone Wolf spirits branding

26-May-2016 By Nicholas Robinson

BrewDog has revealed the brand identity of its Lone Wolf spirits arm, which has been designed to help the brewer, distiller and pub operator with its mission to "disrupt the spirits category".

Video: Kronenbourg claims to have launched bar staffed by dogs

04-May-2016 By Emily Sutherland

Heineken has kicked off its latest campaign for lager Kronenbourg 1664 by opening a bar staffed by dogs.

Beer

Budweiser launches twist-off bottle caps for pubs

13-Apr-2016 By Oli Gross

Budweiser has launched twist-off beer bottle caps in what the company claims is a first for the UK pub industry.

Beer

Innis & Gunn reveals French distribution partnership

05-Apr-2016 By Nicholas Robinson

Scottish specialty beer supplier Innis & Gunn has announced a partnership with Spanish family-owned Grupo Diego Zamora to supply their respective drinks brands to the French market.

Beefeater

Brits urged to shun turkey for steak at Xmas

17-Dec-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

Whitbread pub restaurant chain Beefeater has launched a new campaign urging diners to choose steak dishes instead of traditional turkey-based meals this festive season.

C&C Group announce long term partnership with Pabst Brewing Company

11-Dec-2015 By Ben Winstanley

Magners producer C&C Group has announced a long term partnership with Pabst Brewing Company for the sale and distribution of its cider brands in the US.

Drinks

Can drinks brands successfully embrace 'craft culture'?

10-Dec-2015 By Chris Walmsley

Drinks brands must be careful not to become a cliché when embracing 'craft culture'.

Wine

79% of wine drinkers don't have any brand loyalty

17-Sep-2015 By Michelle Perrett

Four-fifths of wine drinkers (79%) admitted to changing brands or having no brand loyalty, the latest market report from the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has revealed.

Menu Marketing

Mark McCulloch: "a brand is a promise delivered"

31-Jul-2015 By Mark McCulloch

What does the word brand mean to you? Is it a badge, a logo, a name, a colour or a collection of these? For me it is something that runs much much deeper and the best way that I have heard it described is that ‘brand is a promise delivered’.

Beer

WATCH: Carlsberg gives out free beer on luggage carousel

27-Jul-2015 By Emily Sutherland

Carlsberg cheered up holiday makers returning home to rainy British weather by sending out free beer crates on the luggage carousel.

Flaming Grill challenges diners to create “ultimate” eating challenge

08-Jun-2015 By Daniel Woolfson

Spirit Pub Company brand Flaming Grill has asked members of the public to create their own “ultimate” eating challenges, one of which chain will pick to feature on menus across its 145-site portfolio in 2016.

Heineken boosts Bulmers' social status

14-May-2015 By Jessica Mason

An on-pack promotion for Bulmers cider is set to see images of the brand being shared across social media this summer.

Customer creation on new Chef & Brewer menu

02-Apr-2015 By Jo Bruce

Spirit Pub Company brand has launched a spring Chef & Brewer menu that features a new pudding suggested by a customer.

Free Barbour jackets and Hunter wellies in Magners giveaway

14-Nov-2014 By Jessica Mason

Magners will be re-launching its Blippar app promotion across 2,500 pubs and bars from this month.

Fans' outcry brings back Pimm's Vodka Cup

30-Oct-2014 By Robyn Black

A consumer backlash has ensured the return of Pimm’s No 6 Vodka Cup next summer.

Carling British Cider gets a new look

28-Oct-2014 By Robyn Black

A new look for Carling British Cider aims to boost its position as a “premium, modern” brand, said owner Molson Coors.

Flaming Grill on search for worst football team

28-Oct-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Spirit Pub Company brand Flaming Grill is on the hunt for football teams that are “more Sunday League zero than Premiership hero” as it aims to crown the UK’s worst football teams.

Chef & Brewer crowns its 2014 'Masterchef' champion

18-Sep-2014 By Noli Dinkovski

Chef & Brewer, the 130-strong Spirit Pub Company brand, has named the winner of its annual chef competition.

Jägermeister targets pubs 'passing off'

10-Sep-2014 By Ellie Bothwell

Mast-Jäegermeister UK has warned it will take legal action against pubs and clubs that repeatedly ‘pass off’ and ‘pour over’ as part of a fresh crackdown.

M&B makes key appointments to oversee Orchid integration

16-Jul-2014 By John Harrington

Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) has made two internal appointments to oversee the absorption of the 173 former Orchid Pub Company sites into its estate, the Publican's Morning Advertiser's sister title M&C Report has learnt.

Merrydown Cider moves into pubs and bars

12-Sep-2013 By Robyn Black

Merrydown Cider is to return to pubs and bars, following a 20 year absence, The Publican’s Morning Advertiser can reveal.

Jägermeister and Cellar Trends to part company

11-Sep-2013 By Robyn Black

Jägermeister’s parent company Mast-Jägermeister SE, is to set up its first subsidiary office outside of its native Germany to look after the brand in the UK.

First Drinks launches Disaronno sampling campaign

23-Aug-2013 By Mike Berry

Distributor First Drinks has launched a new nationwide experiential sampling campaign to raise awareness of the Disaronno Sour serve.

Stonegate acquires 13 Living Room sites

13-Aug-2013 By John Harrington

Stonegate Pub Company, the managed operator backed by TDR Capital, has completed the acquisition of 13 Living Room sites from Premium Bars & Restaurants (PBR) in a deal thought to be valued at around £10m.

Stonegate believed to be in talks to acquire Living Room chain

01-Aug-2013 By Mark Wingett

Stonegate Pub Company, the managed operator backed by TDR Capital, is believed to be in exclusive talks to acquire the 14-strong Living Room chain, which is valued at around £10m, the Publican's Morning Advertiser sister title M&C Report understands.

Video: New Carling ad celebrates royal baby arrival

24-Jul-2013 By Mike Berry

Lager brand Carling has released a new digital ad to celebrate the birth of the royal baby.

Young's to rebrand managed estate and beers

23-May-2013 By John Harrington

Young & Co’s Brewery will rebrand its Young's managed estate of 125 pubs over the next 24 months, as well as the range of ales it licenses to Charles Wells.

Video: Jack Daniel's launches new TV advert

17-May-2013 By Jessica Mason

Jack Daniel’s has launched a new TV advert, named ‘Legends’ to help raise awareness of the brand’s music credentials and highlight Jack Daniel’s association with music.

Ed Gardner becomes MD at Corney & Barrow

02-Apr-2013 By John Harrington

Lucy Knowles has stepped down as managing director of Corney & Barrow, the City of London-based wine bar operator, after 17 years, with Ed Gardner, group business development director at Corney & Barrow Group, which includes its wine and spirits...

RTDs - The Fight for Fridge Space

28-Mar-2013 By Jessica Mason

You may remember them as alcopops. But, times have changed and alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages are innovating as they fight for space in your fridge.

Spirit Pub Company reports managed estate drop in sales

19-Mar-2013 By M&C Report

Spirit Pub Company has reported a 1.1% decline in sales across its managed estate for the eight weeks to 2 March and said that trading conditions were very challenging during the period as a result of the snowfall in January and prolonged cold weather...

New look Jamie’s to open in West End

13-Feb-2013 By John Harrington

Kornicis, the London-based bar and restaurant group, is to open a new-look version of its Jamie’s Wine Bar & Restaurant brand at its first West End location this month, and plans to acquire another five sites this year.

Spirit scraps Original Pub Company brand amid organisational shake-up

23-Jan-2013 By M&C Report

Spirit Pub Company has made a number of significant changes to its operating structure, including the scrapping of its 64-strong Original Pub Company (OPC) brand, as it looks to energise its whole business for the next stage of its development and move...