Seabrooks plans ad assault to break out of northern heartland

Seabrooks Crisps is launching a range of snacks under the Hot & Spicy brand. The range aims too boost brand awareness and sales of the crisps, which are currently most popular in the north of the country.

The new range will be launched in pubs this month, and has flavours including oriental, mustard, two chilli and wasabi, which it claims is the first Japanese-inspired variant.

The crisps will feature a “hot-o-meter” on packs to highlight the intensity of flavours, and will be supported by a point of sale campaign. If successful, the range will be rolled out to retailers.

Seabrooks is positioned as a challenger brand in the snacks market, which is dominated by Walkers. It now has 18 flavours, included roasted garlic and Canadian ham, but is little known outside of its northern heartland.

In a bid to improve its profile, Seabrooks appointed Leeds-based agency Propaganda ten months ago to develop its first marketing campaign. As part of the campaign the company recently launched a £1.5m TV ad that focuses on the company’s strong flavour crisps and northern roots. It has the strapline: “A right proper gobful”.

Seabrooks chief executive Ken Brook-Chrispin says the campaign will unlock the brand equity that he believes has yet to be exploited.

Seabrooks is one of the UK’s oldest crisp manufacturers and has been producing crisps from its base in Bradford since 1945.