Foster’s targets women with ‘Shorties’ lager

This week, Scottish Courage launches the smallest lager bottle in the UK market.

The 200ml Foster’s Shortie bottles, to be rolled out later this week, are expected to retail at between £8.99 and £9.99 for a pack of 20 and are aimed at female consumers in an attempt to build lager sales.

Industry insiders say that the launch will be supported by a “major” advertising blitz. Details are not available.

Rivals Heineken and Budweiser already have “stubby” lager bottles in the market, but Foster’s Shorties will be smaller than the 207ml Heineken and Budweiser versions.

One insider says: “The Foster’s Shorties will also target occasion drinkers and a marketing programme around the launch is being planned for summer, just in time for the barbecue season.”

Foster’s current campaign, which features a Japanese man and his house-cleaning robot, is aimed at its core market of men aged under 45.

M&C Saatchi handles the £7.5m advertising for the Foster’s brand. Recently, the agency was also appointed to handle Scottish Courage’s Beck’s brand following a two-way pitch against another roster agency, J Walter Thompson (MW February 22). Incumbent Mountain View did not pitch for the business.

The first TV campaign for Beck’s is due to be launched this summer.