Guinness ramps up marketing for birthday

Diageo is ramping up marketing activity for Guinness with a fresh direct mail and sales promotion campaign as the brand’s 250th anniversary approaches.

Guinness campaign

The drinks maker will send 1.4m consumers coupons offering consumers £1 off Guinness Original and Guinness Draught in a Can in the lead up to the global celebrations to mark “Arthur’s Day”, named after the drink’s founder Arthur Guinness, on 24 September.

A Guinness Original promotion will also run in the soon-to-be closed The London Paper offering consumers a free four pack when they collect three coupons.

Promotional 10-pack Guinness Draught will come with a limited edition 250th anniversary glass. In addition, thousands of Guinness 250th point-of-sale (POS) kits will be sent to retailers.

The below-the-line activity is being supported by a global television advertisement, created by Saatchi & Saatchi EMEA, featuring drinkers in a Dublin bar raising a glass to the Guinness founder.

“Arthur’s Day” will be celebrated with a concert in Dublin featuring Black Eyed Peas, Estelle, Kasabian and The Enemy.

On-trade activity will include a live toast at 17.59 on the 24th on Sky’s Pub TV channel featuring drinkers and artists including Sir Bob Geldof. 

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