The revamp is a response to growing competition from continental lagers. UK drinkers are moving away from ales and stouts in favour of lager, and in particular stronger, continental-style brands such as Stella Artois and Heineken.
The neck of Bombardier's glass bottle will carry the words "full pint" -- a measurement with English connotations. The wording is also designed to emphasise how much consumers get for their money. Bombardier claims to be the only premium bottled ale to be available in a pint bottle.
Brand consultancy Evolving Media, which created graphics for the brand's original bottle, has developed the revised packaging.
In 1999, before the brand was first advertised, Bombardier was the 52nd biggest-selling premium cask ale in the UK in volume terms, according to ACNielsen. Since then, it has risen to eighth in the sector.
Charles Wells hopes the revamped packaging combined with the ads that reinforce Bombardier's Englishness will propel the brand into the top five within a year, and the top three within two.
Alongside the new bottles, Bombardier has unveiled the latest execution in its "Really rather English" campaign, which features typically English traits. The "biscuit" poster features a rich tea biscuit being dunked in a pint of Bombardier. Selected Tesco stores will show an animated version of the ad on the retailer's in-store TV channel.
The previous execution in the campaign, which has been developed by Team Saatchi, featured a pint of Bombardier with a punk-style safety pin through the glass. It broke in February to coincide with the appearance of Sex Pistol John Lydon on ITV show 'I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!'.
Bass is currently the best-selling premium cask ale in volume terms. Ale accounts for 28% of all beer consumed in the UK, but this is expected to fall to 24% by 2007, according to Datamonitor.
If you have an opinion on this or any other issue raised on Brand Republic, join the debate in the .
_1.jpg)
.jpg)
