Chang Beer preps activity to widen appeal

Chang Beer is launching a major UK marketing push to broaden its appeal outside of Thai food restaurants.

ChangBeerPic
Chang Beer is hoping to leverage its sponsorship of Everton FC to build its presence outside of the Thai Food sector.

The premium beer brand is a planning a social media campaign and additional PR activity to target drinkers across the country. It is also rolling out a global on-pack promotion to promote its sponsorship of Everton football club, which is the longest standing shirt sponsorship deal in the Premier League.

As part of the push, the brand is looking to expand its presence in the off-trade by adding other supermarkets to its current roster which already includes deals with Tesco and Asda.

Geoff Tirrell, general manager of Chang Beer, says because because the beer is available in around 85 per cent of the “roughly 1500” Thai restaurants across the country that the time is right to launch brand building activity that focuses less on food and more on the brand’s sponsorship of football club Everton.

He adds: “We see the Thai channel as being saturated for us as a brand. We’ve spent quite a lot of time and quite a lot resource in gaining our listings in Thai outlets and now we’re looking to broaden our horizons and looking to areas outside of the Thai channel for growth.”

The strategy will be implemented by the brand’s first ever activation account manager Joanne O’Connor, who joins the business next month (1 October).

Chang Beer’s marketing plan has similarities to the one adopted by Cobra Beer several years ago, which saw the brand invest heavily in promotions in pubs and bars. The beer brand went into administration in 2009 only to be saved by a joint venture between Molson Coors and the brand’s founder Lord Karan Bilimoria.

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