Pre-Christmas Push Highlights Smooth Nature of Stella Artois 4%

The national outdoor and press advertising continues to use a classic visual approach with its roots in the Riviera of the 1960s to communicate the brand’s smooth credentials and heritage.

Andreas Hilger, Marketing Director of InBev UK & Ireland, said: “We are emphasising the fact that Stella Artois 4% is brewed using a dedicated triple-filtered technique, which makes it particularly smooth, with an entertaining TV commercial that also reflects the brand’s Continental heritage.  

“We are harnessing outdoor and press advertising to reinforce that message among as many of the target audience - ABC1 men aged 18-34 - as possible in a relatively short time.

“This campaign will boost awareness among a significant number of lager drinkers and prompt many of them to look for the brand when they visit pubs, bars and off-licences in the weeks ahead.”

The pre-Christmas push is spearheaded by a stunning 40-second TV commercial shot in the colourful style of 1960s’ French cinema which is an amusing tale of misplaced jealousy set on the sun-drenched Riviera.

Hilger continues: “The pre-Christmas period is the key time of year for beer sales because there is a surge in socialising as people visits pubs and bars more often - so this period presents a real opportunity to raise the profile of a new brand and encourage more people to sample it.”

Posters and Press Support Smooth Message:
Outdoor and press campaigns will support the TV theme by communicating the “La Nouvelle Smooth” message using a creative approach that has its roots in the ultra-cool Riviera scene of the 1960s. A series of classic images with a retro feel, including close-up shots of the Stella Artois 4% branded glass and can, the outdoor campaign will be unveiled on October 20 - to build interest in advance of the TV advertising.

It will run nationally on 400 96-sheet and 2,000 48-sheet poster sites for two weeks and will also include a number of premium large formats and roadside sites for maximum impact with consumers. These include London’s Clapham Junction Colossus, the Oxford Circus media wall and the London Bridge banner and sites in key shopping areas of Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds.

That will be followed from the end of October by a press campaign featuring the same imagery to reinforce the “La Nouvelle Smooth” message. The schedule includes newspapers such as Metro, the London Paper and London Lite, weekly magazines such as Time Out and Shortlist and monthlies including Men’s Health, Arena, Mojo and Q and will run until the end of the year.

Developed to complement Stella Artois - the No 1 premium lager in the on-trade - Stella Artois 4% appeals to consumers looking for a premium 4% beer that doesn’t sacrifice quality. It was launched in the off trade in August and a draught version is being rolled out in the on-trade from November.

Hilger added: “Stella Artois 4% will help retailers cater for ‘premiumisation’ which is a key consumer trend as people trade up more often. It boasts a brand name that pub-goers already know well and also benefits from the values that Stella Artois has established including craftsmanship, heritage and product quality.
 
“Stella Artois 4% has already exceeded expectations in the off trade and we are confident it will make just as big an impact with on-trade drinkers. We will be building on-trade distribution rapidly in the pre-Christmas period to ensure as many outlets as possible benefit from the premium business contribution that Stella Artois 4% will deliver.”