John Smith’s offers shares in racehorse

Heineken UK is to launch a marketing campaign for its John Smith’s beer brand that gives drinkers an opportunity to have a share in “Smithy” the racehorse.

John Smith’s campaign

The on-trade, digital and media activity has been created by Space and aims to leverage the brand’s sponsorship of the Grand National and other race meetings across the UK.

Drinkers can get a share in the horse, a thoroughbred four year old, by buying a pint of John Smith’s and then registering online or via SMS by 12 February.

Shareholders will then be informed of the horse’s progress and have an opportunity to vote on which races the horse competes in.

A weekly column running in the Daily Mirror offering a “No Nonsense”, the brand’s strapline”, view on racing will run every week until the John Smith’s Grand National in April.

Heineken UK recently agreed to extend John Smith’s sponsorship of the Grand National for a further three years when the current agreement expires in 2010.

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