Babycham returns to Fifties roots with 1.5m relaunch campaign

Babycham, the sparkling perry loved by teenage girls and grandmothers alike, is going back to its Fifties roots with a 1.5m relaunch by Matthew Clark.

The famous Babycham deer, which was killed off in 1993 when the brand owners tried to modernise the drink’s image, will be resurrected along with the trademark green bottle, which has been redesigned by Siebert Head.

One trade source says: “Changing the original image of Babycham was the biggest mistake the company ever made. It shouldn’t have tried to make the drink trendy because all it did was turn off existing older consumers, while failing to attract new drinkers.”

Matthew Clark, which has recently made a commitment to invest heavily in its brands, will target the relaunched brand at women aged over 40, but hopes to appeal to women aged 18 to 24 who enjoy “retro” nights in bars and clubs.

Babycham brand manager Deborah Francis says: “By returning to the original brand values we can tempt former Babycham drinkers back, and encourage new ones.”

The original brand icons of the deer and the sparkling stars will be seen in advertising and promotional material, which will attempt to take the brand back to its roots in “fun, romance and sparkle”. Grey Advertising will run a women’s consumer press campaign in the summer.

Sources say Matthew Clark is also considering launching brand extensions of Babycham at a later date.

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