Consumers ‘turned off’ by M&C Saatchi Foster’s ad

M&C Saatchi’s advertising campaign for Foster’s lager, Tickle it you Wrigglers, is turning consumers away from the brand, according to new research from Carat Insight.

The research, which is being mailed to delegates who attended the Monte Carlo TV 97 conference, was conducted by BMRB in January.

Scottish Courage spent between 900,000 and 1.5m on the TV campaign during the four weeks before the research was conducted. It achieved awareness of 71 per cent, but only four per cent of respondents who drink lager said that they were more likely to buy or consider buying the brand. However, ten per cent of the respondents said that the advertising made them less likely to buy the brand.

Similarly, the radio campaign produced a net negative influence of four per cent. This was the worst result recorded for any of the brands Carat Insight investigated.

Scottish Courage awarded M&C Saatchi the Foster’s advertising account in May last year, when BMP DDB resigned after winning the global advertising business for Anheuser-Busch. The Tickle it you Wrigglers campaign was launched in October to broaden the brand’s Australian heritage. It features two Australian comedians, John Doyle and Greig Pickhaver.

M&C joint chief executive Moray MacLennan says the campaign has researched well and, although not universally liked, it achieved a high recall. “Sales have increased,” he adds.

Media Analysis, page 16