Anheuser-Busch InBev is getting in touch with its dark side for the launch of a fresh Stella Artois variant. As revealed exclusively by Marketing last week, later this year the brewer plans to roll out Stella Artois Black.
The premium golden lager, which is darker and more fully flavoured than the original Stella Artois beer, will be sold on draught in a select group of pubs and bars. If all goes to plan, Stella Black will appeal to consumers during 'reflective, down-tempo' times.
However, the launch, is also part of a wider plan by AB InBev to grow the Stella brand, and Stuart MacFarlane, the brewing giant's UK president, even speaks of emulating Coca-Cola. He points to the successful launch of Stella Artois 4% two years ago as proof that the brand is 'extendable' and there are clear benefits to growing the 'family'.
Parental help
At this time, AB InBev had dropped its long-standing incumbent ad agency, Lowe, and turned instead to Mother, which created a French Riviera-themed campaign, breaking with a long tradition of bucolic ads.
'A lot of advice was not to extend the Stella Artois product line, but it turned out that 4% was the biggest help for the overall parent brand. Why can't we carry on?' adds MacFarlane. 'Brand marketers really need to open their minds to where brands can stand in the modern generation.'
The main support for the Black brand will be focused initially in-outlet, using its distinctive black font, bespoke glassware and accompanying point-of-sale marketing material.
According to MacFarlane, though, above-the-line activity has not been ruled out. 'The halo effect across the brands is very much something you see,' he says. 'When we advertised 4%, it did as much for the overall family as it did for awareness of that brand.'
This is not the first time that the company has sought to extend the brand, albeit that it has previously taken a slightly different approach.
A few years ago it began launching a series of 'Artois' variants, prompting speculation that the Stella name would be dumped. However, products such as Peeterman Artois wheat beer and Artois Bock brown lager, which was swiftly axed in favour of 'oak-aged' Eiken Artois, were rolled out only to be quietly withdrawn in 2008.
Simon Davies, the former marketing director of Molson Coors and now the managing director of consultancy MMIXX, questions whether the latest strategy is the right one, given the failure of previous attempts to broaden the Stella Artois line-up.
'The Stella Black proposition seems fairly similar to the Artois beers,' he says. He goes on to question why MacFarlane is holding up Coca-Cola as an exemplar of brand extensions. 'There are a lot of variants of Coke, most of which lose money. Coke Zero hasn't even come close to meeting their expectations,' he adds.
Davies believes that the launch of Stella Black is less of a serious commercial venture and more an attempt by AB InBev to continue its project of pushing the mother brand upmarket.
As a brand Stella Artois, which despite its premium positioning has been associated with binge-drinking, has been much analysed over the years.
It continues to provoke fascination as is illustrated by the volume of comments made online about the initial Marketing story. Aside from a few tasteless quips, the more serious comments joined Davies in raising questions about the strategy.
Brand strength
'I wonder if Stella was the best brand to launch this concept,' writes Dan Plant, strategy director at Vizeum. 'Couldn't it come more naturally from other brands in their stable, such as Beck's?'
Nonetheless, MacFarlane describes himself as feeling 'extremely pleased' about the health of the Stella Artois brand. 'It's well-documented that, over the past three to five years, we've had some concerns,' he says. 'I think we have tackled those head on and we have refreshed, renovated and innovated to make sure we protect and grow what the brand stands for.'
Whether or not Stella Artois Black proves to be a success, its gestation and launch will provide an interesting case study for marketers.