Liverpool brewery Cains signs as first sponsor for 2008 City of Culture

Liverpool-based brewery Cains has signed a &£1m sponsorship deal with Liverpool City of Culture 2008 as it prepares for the national launch of what it claims is the first “British” premium lager.

Cains is the first official supplier to be signed up by the Liverpool Culture Company and the deal makes Cains the official beer of the European City of Culture 2008.

The deal comes as the brewer prepares to launch Cains Finest Lager outside the North-west for the first time. The beer, which the company claims it is the first “British” lager to be produced by a domestic brewer, won a Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) award earlier this year.

The beer will be available in 500ml bottles in pubs, bars and off-licences around the country from this month.

McCann Erickson Manchester has been tasked with preparing a &£500,000 campaign to support the nationwide launch.

The campaign will include press and poster work with the strapline: “Continental lager all the way from Liverpool.” Cains beers will also carry the exclusive Capital of Culture logo and branding.

Joint managing director Sudarghara Dusanj says: “We will be the official beer at every [Capital of Culture] event and the 2008 logo will be on all our products, which we will market nationally.”

Cains is Liverpool’s oldest brewery and was purchased by brothers Ajmail and Sudarghara Dusanj in 2002 after it was put up for sale by its previous owners.