Marketing

The Lock In Podcast

Perfecting the art of the serve

20-Feb-2024 By Ed Bedington

Why is there a North/South divide when it comes to beer head and does Guinness really need to be poured in stages? The Lock In team tackle that and other issues around the concept of the perfect serve.

CMBC secures 'momentous' 10-year agreement with Stonegate

17-Oct-2023 By Rebecca Weller

Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) has announced a new 10-year partnership with the UK’s largest pub company.

The Lock In Podcast

Has customer behaviour got worse since Covid?

03-Oct-2023 By Ed Bedington

The Lock In podcast is back, and we're taking a look at customer behaviour - are they getting worse? Are we getting worse?

Pubs championed as a favourite setting for first dates

05-Sep-2023 By Rebecca Weller

More than a third of consumers named pubs among their favourite settings for first dates but music and menu options can play a critical role in attracting the dating market.

CAMRA Pub Design Award winners unveiled

01-Sep-2023 By Rebecca Weller

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has revealed the winners of its Pub Design Awards.

Complaint against Camden Town Brewery ad upheld

23-Aug-2023 By Rebecca Weller

A complaint against a Camden Town Brewery TV advert has been upheld by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

Coronation: 50.5m pints poured but rain dampens trade

09-May-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

The coronation bank holiday weekend saw drinkers consume 50.5m pints across the UK, which was a 5.7% increase from the 2022 Jubilee bank holiday.

Nightlife app and music marketplace champion hospitality

27-Apr-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Free drinks app DUSK has partnered with live music marketplace GigPig, connecting customers, local venues and independent artists in a bid to support hospitality.

‘Pints on us’ says M&S after ‘ripping off’ pub group logo

14-Apr-2023 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Marks and Spencer (M&S) has withdrawn a shirt from sale after “ripping off” The Craft Beer Co logo, but the pubco’s founder isn’t losing sleep over it.

Sustainability becoming ‘less of a niche’ for UK alcohol brands

14-Apr-2023 By Orla Noonan

Suppliers have cited a move away from “greenwashed” marketing towards a more standardised “expectation” of eco-friendly products by consumers.

Stonegate operators feel 'second-class' after glassware charges introduced

21-Mar-2023 By Rebecca Weller

Stonegate operators have been left feeling like “second-class citizens” after the pubco introduced an “extra cost” for branded glassware across its leased and tenanted sites.

The Lock In Podcast

Price of a pint

09-Jan-2023 By Ed Bedington

How are you handling your pricing? The Lock In team tackle the difficult questions as inflation runs rampant - how much can you put your prices up by?

Digital delights

21-Nov-2022 By Ed Bedington

How does the digital world fit into the analogue world of pubs? The Lock In team take a deep dive into digital with help from a range of guests including superstar chef Gary Usher.

ASA: Stonegate Facebook posts ‘irresponsible’

07-Sep-2022 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Stonegate and other pubcos have broken strict alcohol rules set out by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) through encouraging excessive drinking and featuring people appearing under 25 on social media.

The Lock In Podcast

Can pubs be better employers?

19-May-2022 By Ed Bedington

With staffing challenges continuing to cause headaches for pub operators, the Lock In team tackle some of the issues that are causing the sector problems and have a bit of discussion about baldness discrimination...

Fake reviews set to be illegal under new Gov rules

20-Apr-2022 By Nikkie Thatcher

The Government has announced plans to make it “clearly illegal” to pay someone to write or host a fake review today (Wednesday 20 April).

Star boosts social media support with new training package

05-Apr-2022 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

Star Pubs & Bars is ramping up its social media support on existing platform Avocado Social, as licensees label help with social media a top priority.

Property Round-Up

Red Oak Taverns completes first acquisition of year, Nightjar opens second site

16-Mar-2022 By Amelie Maurice-Jones

There are plenty of new acquisitions and refurbishments this week: among other news, Red Oak Taverns has completed its first pub acquisition of 2022, and Nightjar is due to open its second site.

The Lock In Podcast

The opportunities and pitfalls of review websites

08-Dec-2021 By Ed Bedington

The latest episode of the Lock In Podcast sees the team focus on review sites such as TripAdvisor and Google from the Prince of Peckham in east London with the pub’s operator Clement Ogbonnaya as well as Tony Kent from Reputation.com.

MA Leaders Club

How do I become a member of The MA Leaders Club?

13-Sep-2021 By The Morning Advertiser

Want to join the biggest group of multi-site pub owners and operators you’re ever likely to see in one place? Well look no further – our comprehensive guide to the MA Leaders Club awaits below…

Opinion

Pub PR: how can operators reassure customers returning after 'Freedom Day'?

20-Jul-2021 By Sarah Murray, client director at PR and digital agency Edson Evers

For the hospitality industry, the road to ‘Freedom Day’ on 19 July was a bumpy and tumultuous journey.

BT Sport Pub Cup returns with Wembley final

02-Jun-2021 By The Morning Advertiser

BT Sport is giving grassroots footballers across England a once in a lifetime opportunity to play on Wembley’s hallowed turf, as the BT Sport Pub Cup makes its return.

Morning Advertiser update

The Morning Advertiser website is changing

02-Jun-2021 By Chris Lowe, publisher, The Morning Advertiser

Like many of the biggest media websites that have put journalism at the forefront of their strategy, we are implementing something called metered access – meaning users will be asked to register after consuming a certain number of articles within 30 days.

Almost half of readers worried working from home will hit trade

07-May-2021 By Emily Hawkins

Just under half of operators are concerned about the potential impact that a long-term decline of office-working on their pub business.

Pub sector celebrated in New Year Honours list

04-Jan-2021 By Nikkie Thatcher

A number of pub sector stalwarts have been awarded accolades in the 2021 New Year Honours list.

Content provided by Wireless Social

Supercharge your marketing strategy using guest insights

17-Sep-2020 By Wireless Social

Digital communications are more important now more than ever to re-engage your guests and promote your brand. Here are our top tips on using data and insights in your marketing strategy.

9 reasons customers have given as reasons not to follow guidelines

11-Sep-2020 By Nikkie Thatcher

The Morning Advertiser has rounded up some of the 'reasons' why customers have refused to comply with Government guidance in pubs.

Campaign aims to branch out from 'inner cider circle'

03-Sep-2020 By Emily Hawkins

More than 30 cidermakers have united in a campaign to grow the visibility of cider among the British public and encourage punters to be adventurous within the category.

Meet the GBPA Pub Heroes finalists – Business Continuity

17-Aug-2020 By Nicholas Robinson

Despite all the odds, hundreds of pubs continued to trade during the coronavirus pandemic lockdown, with many of them not only maintaining decent sales through diversification, but also managing to serve the needs of their communities.

Sales in pubs down almost half in July

13-Aug-2020 By Nikkie Thatcher

Managed pub groups saw total sales down 44.7% in July 2020, compared to the same month last year, new figures have shown.

Great British Pub Awards

Are you a GBPA Hero? Business Continuity

30-Jul-2020 By Ed Bedington

Lockdown hit pubs first and hardest, and while many operators were forced to shut up shops and weather the storm, some managed to pivot their operations and keep on trading.

Great British Pub Awards

Are you a GBPA Hero? Community Mindfulness

30-Jul-2020 By Ed Bedington

Pubs are a vital part of keeping communities connected, and the long lockdown certainly highlighted that.

Great British Pub Awards

Are you a GBPA Hero? Front Line Support

28-Jul-2020 By Ed Bedington

One of the key difficulties faced during lockdown was supporting front line workers, and pubs did not shy away from the challenge.

Great British Pub Awards

Are you a GBPA Hero? Pub Shop

22-Jul-2020 By Ed Bedington

When the chips were down and supplies were running low, pubs stepped up to ensure their communities were kept fed and watered, and now The Morning Advertiser (MA) is looking to recognise that.

Great British Pub Awards

Are you a GBPA Hero? Charity Champion

22-Jul-2020 By Ed Bedington

Charity is a key part of most pubs’ DNA, and despite the challenges the corona crisis has thrown at the sector, pubs have continued to do their bit.

Great British Pub Awards

Are you a GBPA Hero? Staff Welfare

21-Jul-2020 By Ed Bedington

Staff welfare has been vital as the pub sector weathered the corona crisis storm, and now The Morning Advertiser (MA) is looking to recognise those operators that did a fantastic job looking after their staff.

Great British Pub Awards

Are you a GBPA hero? Sheltering the Community

20-Jul-2020 By Ed Bedington

Has your pub offered support and shelter to the vulnerable during the coronavirus lockdown?

More than half of operators plan to participate in Eat Out to Help Out

20-Jul-2020 By Nikkie Thatcher

Some 58% of operators are planning to offer customers 50% off (up to £10 per person) as part of the Government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme next month (August).

Guv'nor

Top tips on pub marketing

19-Feb-2020 By Mark Bridgen, owner of the Dog at Wingham, near Canterbury. Kent

Using his experience from his pre-pub days, Mark Bridgen from the Dog at Wingham shares his suggestions on how to use marketing to your advantage

A-Z of on-trade marketing

17-Jan-2020 By Stuart Stone

From the rise of TikTok and the resurgence of Facebook to bar-top point of sale, experts explain what to factor in to your on-trade marketing in 2020.

Complaint against ‘Suicyder’ brand upheld

30-Oct-2019 By Emily Hawkins

Alcohol watchdog the Portman Group has upheld a complaint about a cider for its ‘direct link to suicide, alcohol and dangerous behaviour’.

Spotlight

Why are historic beers being rebranded?

18-Oct-2019 By Stuart Stone

Historic brands like Young’s, Hobgoblin, Old Speckled Hen and Spitfire have all been given contemporary facelifts this year – but why are beer industry stalwarts choosing to reinvent themselves?

Pubgoers could win £1,000 from new Foster’s campaign

07-May-2019 By Emily Hawkins

Lager brand Foster’s has launched a Friday-focused activation that will give pub customers the chance to win £1,000 cash.

How has pub marketing changed?

15-Feb-2019 By Emma Eversham

There are so many rules around advertising now, be them from the Advertising Standards Authority or the Portman Group. Here we highlight some of the defining moments in marketing and advertising and look at how regulation and legislation has changed the...

Airlines to host American-themed craft pop-up

02-Aug-2018 By Emily Hawkins

A pop-up pub showcasing hundreds of US craft beers will open this month in the latest marketing ploy by two airlines to attract UK tourists to cross The Pond.

‘Food pubs are not dead’ says Shepherd Neame boss

06-Mar-2018 By Nicholas Robinson

Recent upheaval in the casual-dining sphere does not signal the death of the eating-out market, but highlights the pitfalls of “putting all your eggs in one basket” instead of offering variety, according to Shepherd Neame chief executive Jonathan Neame....

Bud Light available in bottle

05-Mar-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

AB InBev has launched its Bud Light beer in a 330ml bottle format, one year after the beer was introduced.

SIBA to create ‘code of practice’ to avoid offensive beer marketing

27-Feb-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) has announced it is making plans to create a marketing code of practice for its members to ensure responsible marketing.

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.

Entries for 2018 Beer and Cider Marketing Awards open

07-Feb-2018 By Nikkie Sutton

The coveted awards has returned this year to find the UK’s best marketers and celebrate innovative campaigns across the industry – and entries are now open.