Picks of the Week

MADRÍ EXCEPCIONAL UNVEILS £3.5M AD CAMPAIGN

Campaign aims to build on the brand’s early on-trade momentum and establish it in the off-trade in the UK.

Madrí Excepcional, the European-style lager taking the UK by storm, has unveiled its first ad campaign.

The £3.5m ‘Door Roja’ campaign aims to build on the brand’s early on-trade momentum, establish it in the off-trade in the UK, and celebrate ‘El alma de Madrid’ – or ‘The Soul of Madrid’.

Despite only launching in October 2020, Madrí Excepcional is already available on draught in more than 7,500 venues, as well as in cans and bottles in supermarkets and off-licences and convenience stores across the UK.

During the past 12 weeks, Madrí Excepcional has broken into the top 10 draught lagers by sales value in the on-trade, and currently has the highest value and volume rate of sale per venue in the world lager category.

The three-month campaign is the brand’s first above-theline marketing campaign and includes TV, video-on-demand, out-of-home, experiential and social activations. At its heart is a new 60” TV ad, shot on location in Madrid, which combines the historic soul of the city with its open, urban, convivial present.

The campaign also includes three large, striking murals – in London’s Shoreditch, Manchester’s Northern Quarter and Birmingham’s Digbeth, hand-drawn by artist The Red Dress.

Ryan McLaughlin, Marketing Controller - Premium Beers at Molson Coors, said: “The reaction to Madrí Excepcional since launch, from venues, retailers and above all the public, has been, well, exceptional. While less than two years’ old, it’s clear it represents a unique, exciting, and sought-after option.

“This bold campaign – backed by significant investment – captures the soul of Madrid specifically, not just Spain, enabling the brand to continue to stand out against the sea of largely undifferentiated Mediterranean lagers in the growing world lager category.”

WEETABIX ON THE GO BOOSTS DISTRIBUTION

The brand’s upcoming field sales blitz will ensure retailers are also maximising the Women’s Euros this summer.

Breakfast drink Weetabix On The Go says it has seen “brilliant results” from its recent field sales activity.The field sales team secured 1,172 new distribution points and sold 1,618 cases over the course of one week, triple the usual rate. The campaign saw an average of 11.5 store calls per day, with more than 700 pieces of POS and drinks chiller merchandising assets provided to retailers.

Another burst of field sales activity will take place in July, focused on Weetabix’s football on-pack partnership to coincide with the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022, while showcasing Weetabix On The Go’s popular Caffé Latte edition.

Awareness for Weetabix On The Go will also be supported across June and July by a consumer sampling campaign touring cities nationwide, with sampling staff distributing chilled products from a bright yellow milk van.

Christian Sarginson, Marketing Manager of Weetabix On The Go, said: “Weetabix On The Go is the leading brand in the breakfast drink sector, accounting for 83% of all sales in the impulse channel. Convenience stores are therefore vital for this popular grab-and-go product, and we want to support independent retailers however we can. This field sales burst aims to increase distribution and educate retailers on how to capitalise on the growing breakfast on-the-go trend, with the right products in the right place for their store.

“Our upcoming field sales blitz will ensure retailers are also maximising the Women’s Euros this summer. Products from Weetabix’s portfolio, including Weetabix On The Go (Core range, multipacks and 1L) Weetabix Original, Weetabix Crispy Minis and Weetabix Protein are part of our on-pack promotion offering ‘money can’t buy’ prizes, such as tickets to matches at UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 and signed shirts. It’s a great way for retailers to guarantee their breakfast offering is part of the summer football spirit.”

PICKS OF THE WEEK

SMOKEY GIN

Dunnet Bay Distillers haslaunched its latest gin expression:Rock Rose Gin Smoked Orange.An initial batch of 600 bottles willbe released on 5 July before thegin becomes the ninth member of Dunnet Bay’s core range inNovember.

LOADED SNACK

Calbee has unveiled new Loaded Rings in a tangy Sour Cream & Onion flavour, available in multipack, sharing bag and £1 PMP formats. The launch coincides with a packaging redesign for the Loaded range, which launched last year under the Seabrook brand and is worth over £8m.

LIGHTER BISCUIT

Pladis has launched McVitie’s Digestives Wholesense – a lighter version of the brand’s McVitie’s Digestives. McVitie’s Wholesense offers 30% less sugar and 50% more fibre than the average digestive biscuit, and will be exempt from England’s upcoming HFSS restrictions.

SHAKE COCKTAIL

Spirits producer Shake Baby Shake is to roll out a new range of premixed celebration bottles are hitting the shelves of Sainsbury’s across the UK. Passion Fruit Martini and Strawberry Daiquiri bottles are the two best-selling flavours from the current range.

TONIC RTD

Dutch-Indonesian gin and jenever company Bobby’s has rolled out its first RTDs – a gin and tonic, and a gin and pink lemonade. The cans feature a traditional Indonesian ‘Ikat’ pattern. For the Pink Lemonade, the company partnered with Pinkyrose which produces handmade lemonade syrups.

CANNED TEA

Teapigs has launched a range of ready-to-drink iced tea cans in Super Fruit and Black Tea with Peach varieties. The range, sweetened with agave, has no artificial flavours or sweeteners. The range, which is available now from Teapigs’ website, has an RRP of £1.99 per 250ml can.