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New-Look NRB Bottle Boosts Bar Appeal of Stella Artois

22 August 2008 - InBev UK is boosting the consumer appeal of Stella Artois with the launch of a new-look bottle that will raise the brand’s profile at the bar and generate additional sales opportunities for retailers. This packaging revamp will launch in the UK in September 2008 before being rolled out across the globe.

InBev UK is boosting the consumer appeal of Stella Artois with the launch of a new-look bottle that will raise the brand’s profile at the bar and generate additional sales opportunities for retailers. This packaging revamp will launch in the UK in September 2008 before being rolled out across the globe. As the market leader Stella Artois is renowned for its iconic imagery and has made a significant investment to deliver high quality packaging that will appeal to its consumers.

The contemporary design for the Stella Artois NRB highlights the craftsmanship, quality and heritage of the brand - while also communicating its premium positioning to pub-goers.

InBev UK President, Stuart MacFarlane, says: “This design update will help to build the success of Stella Artois - the No 1 premium lager - by reinforcing its appeal to established drinkers and introducing it to new consumers.”

The eye-catching design is being made available to on-trade retailers from September at the same time as new primary and secondary packaging are introduced in the off-trade.

The key features of the new bottle are:

The famous Stella Artois logo is featured in dramatic cut-out style to generate improved brand awareness at the bar.
The logo has been enlarged to make it the packaging “hero” and create brand focus.
The Leuven horn symbol and the message “Anno 1366” are more prominently displayed - to emphasise the brand’s brewing credentials stretching back more than six centuries.
A new message - “Premium Lager Beer” - has been incorporated to emphasise the brand’s positioning to pub-goers.

The new packaging continues Stella Artois’ work towards reducing its environmental impact: the 330ml and 250ml bottle are best-in-class in terms of bottle weight. They are, on average, 81% recycled and 100% recyclable. The Stella Artois can is, on average, 50% recycled and 100% recyclable and all pack variants using corrugated board will use 100% recycled material.

Independent consumer research shows that Stella Artois leads all other lagers in terms of “high quality”, has improved its score by 20% since February 2007, and is some 20% ahead of its nearest competitor.* It also shows that out of all lagers, Stella Artois is the No 1 brand that consumers consider being “worth paying more for” - a score that is 45% ahead of its nearest competitor.

At the same time as bringing the packaging design into line internationally, InBev UK is also harmonising the ABV of the brand in the off and on-trade with the launch of a 5% brew from September.

MacFarlane added: “This change will have no impact on the taste or the product characteristics of Stella Artois. By harmonizing the ABV we are providing the consumer with clarity and this will allow consumers to enjoy a consistent strength lager at home or in the pub.”

* Source: Brand Performance Tracker, Synovate/January 2007.