Strongbow Ultra GOAT

Source: Heineken

Heineken UK is breaking from traditional cider marketing etiquette with the launch of its bold ‘drink the G.O.A.T’ campaign, featuring a purple goat to attract a new generation of cider drinkers to the recently launched Strongbow Ultra Dark Fruit cider.

The creative for Strongbow’s latest campaign centres around the G.O.A.T. - a purple goat, which casually nods along to garage music. Heineken claims that the concept moves cider advertising out of the traditional heartland of orchards and the West Country.

“We are all obsessed with being the first to trial a new product, brand or experience and report back to our friends – this is what creates social currency,” said Heineken UK cider brand director Rachel Holms. “This is Strongbow’s latest innovation and we are being more daring and disruptive than ever before to drive awareness and show that Strongbow Ultra Dark Fruit is worth the hype. There is a heavyweight nationwide out of home campaign, which features some iconic takeovers of Oxford Circus Tube Station and Manchester Piccadilly. The campaign will spread across television, social media, video-on-demand and through a 500,000 mini can sampling drive and will also see the famous Strongbow Yard at the Isle of White festival have an Ultra makeover.”

The firm claims that Strongbow is the UK’s favourite cider brand and Strongbow Ultra has been launched to grow cider penetration from its current 45.4% level and flavoured from 30.9% (Kantar WPO MAT to 26/12/2021, Total Market (off-trade). The refreshingly light cider is a 4% ABV fruity cider and is sold in slimline 330ml cans at 95 calories and with natural berry flavourings. It is targeted at 18–40-year-old men and women and ranks in the top 10% of all alcohol concepts tested among its target audience (Kantar Concept Validation April 2021).

Opening a new segment within the cider category, the campaign’s aim is to encourage people to discover a different way of drinking cider and plays into strong market desire for lower calorie drinks from Generation Y and Z drinkers (18-to-34-year-olds).

Holms continued: “With 59% of consumers looking for lighter choices when shopping and 60% of Brits saying taste is the most important factor when buying a drink, there is a clear gap in the market for a lower calorie, flavourful cider, which Ultra fills as a market pioneer.”