ú27m spend for Taunton’s key products

Taunton Cider has announced plans to nearly double marketing spending on its key cider and lager brands from £16m last year to £27m this year.

The increased spending includes an extra £10m to be spent on Miller Genuine Draft over the next 15 months. Taunton took control of marketing and distribution for the brand from Rawlings Voigt at the end of last year (MW December 16, 1994).

A £5m campaign for Miller Genuine Draft breaks next month through TBWA. The drive will involve television, press and cinema, and a further £5m will be spent on other marketing promotions for the brand.

The Taunton cider brands will be backed with a £17m budget, an increase of more than six per cent on last year’s marketing spend.

Taunton’s Blackthorn cider range will receive a £7m marketing support, while a new £3m TV campaign for Dry Blackthorn will be screened over the summer and during Christmas, continuing the theme of “Definitely a Dry Blackthorn Day”.

A £5m promotion for Diamond White will be launched in the summer, and Diamond Ice will receive £1m. The new Fré cider will have £2m promotional support.

Taunton has experienced difficulties with its brands in the premium sector. It closed its new product development team after it made new product development brands manager Tim Roper redundant (MW October 28) and general manager for npd Liz Broadbent left to set up her own npd consultancy (MW March 10).

Taunton is test marketing a new cask conditioned cider called Somerset Leveller.