Bass seeks new market in 8m Grolsch relaunch

Premium lager Grolsch is to appear on TV screens for the first time in two years in an 8m relaunch. The campaign has been designed by Bass Brewers’ incumbent agency EURO RSCG Wnek Gosper.

Bass, which owns the Dutch brand in partnership with Grolsch in the UK, hopes to target a broader audience with the campaign. Its core customers are expected to be ABC males between 25 and 34 years old.

The campaign includes a new-look font and point-of-sale advertising. One 30-second advertisement will air from December 18 on all the major commercial channels into the New Year.

The execution shows the Grolsch brewery from the perspective of a paper plane that is flying through the building.

The ad emphasises the heritage of the lager, which the company claims has been in existence since 1615, and the fact that the beer brews for three times longer than most lagers.

The new font, which has been updated by Brand Union subsidiary Tutsells, will be rolled out over the next few months.

The campaign follows speculation that Bass is to bid for the troubled Dutch Grolsch parent in the wake of the UK company’s failed Carlsberg-Tetley takeover, and rumours that rival Scottish Courage may buy French premium lager Kronenbourg 1664.