Guinness turns to NFC to boost flagging sales

Diageo is launching a nationwide NFC-enabled campaign for its Guinness brand in an attempt to reverse declining sales of the drink. 

GuinnessFount-Product-2013_460
Diageo is looking to boost Guinness sales with NFC-enabled founts.

The company is offering drinkers the chance to win a complimentary pint when they tap their smartphones against the harp logo on newly installed Guinness pumps. Special offers, vouchers competitions and exclusive content will also be served to drinkers in pubs, clubs and restaurants when they interact using their smartphones. 

Nick Britton, marketing manager for Guinness in Western Europe, says the initiative aims to keep consumers engaged in the on-trade and drive “valuable sales”.

The brand has struggled to grow sales in recent year’s against the backdrop of the UK’s declining beer industry. Retail sales for Guinness over the 52 weeks to 22 June fell 4 per cent year-on-year to £89.4m, according to IRI Worldwide. Volumes of the drink sold also plummeted 4.1 per cent year-on-year to 33.8m litres from 35.3m over the same period.

The marketing platform, created in partnership with NFC specialists Proxama, will complete its rollout across Great Britain and Ireland by 2015. It is part of a wider push from the brewer to help drive on-trade sales this summer, which has seen it introduce a new accreditation programme for publicans.

Diageo is the latest in a flurry of companies exploring the capabilities of NFC. Earlier this year, Domino’s launched an outdoor push to promote fans its mobile app in the hopes it would lead to more downloads over the summer period. Ladbrokes is also looking to introduce NFC-based services in the coming months as part of wider push to reinvigorate its online marketing strategy.

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