Cobra Beer targets at-home curry eaters
The new owners of Cobra Beer are looking to position the brand as the beer to drink with spicy food at home as well as in restaurants.
The Cobra Beer Partnership, a joint venture between Molson Coors and the brand’s founder Lord Karan Bilimoria, says £10m will be invested in marketing the brand over the next three years to tap into the “potential of ethnic food and beer dining”.
Kevin Wallace, brand director of Cobra Beer Partnership, says it will look to push the brand’s Indian heritage and build on its existing strength in restaurants as well as linking it with at-home food rituals, such as “curry nights”.
To this end, Wallace says the Partnership is exploring several marketing options including partnerships with supermarkets and food brands. It is also sponsoring National Curry Week in November.
He adds previous plans to move away from its Indian positioning in favour of pushing the brand in pubs and bars have been shelved in favour of “celebrating” its dominance in Indian restaurants.
In other new developments, brand variant Cobra Light is being axed, while the female-targeted Bite range is being reviewed.
King Cobra and Cobra 0% will be retained.
Wallace, a former Carling brand director, will lead marketing for the brand working with two brand managers.
The Cobra Beer Partnership was formed after Cobra went into administration in May. The brand was then bought by Molson, which has a 50.1% stake and Bilimoria, who owns 49.9%.
