Guinness to ‘phase out’ Bitter brand
Guinness Brewing GB is planning to let canned Guinness Bitter “wither and die” after an internal review of its brand strategy, according to sources.
Support for the take-home bitter brand, which was launched in 1991 under the original name Guinness Draught Bitter, will be cut due to disappointing sales, say insiders.
A source close to the company says: “Guinness is not going to make a song and dance about it, it is just going to wind it down. It was a mistake to use the Guinness brand name, which is the generic name for stout, on a bitter brand.”
But a Guinness spokesman denies any plans to axe the drink. “The amount of support it will receive in 1998 is still under discussion.” Guinness says there has been no TV ads for the brand since about 1994.
