Scottish & Newcastle UK (S&N UK) is planning a major assault on the cider category this summer with a nationwide on and off-trade campaign, promoting its extensive portfolio of cider brands.

The Biggest Round '08, through BEcause Experiential Marketing, will see S&N brand ambassadors visiting more than 3,000 pubs from May to August, encouraging consumers to “enjoy something different” with the offer of one drink “on the house” from a choice of seven S&N cider brands. The brands involved are Bulmers Original, Bulmers Original draught over ice, Bulmers Light, Bulmers Pear, Jacques Fruits des Bois, Jacques Orchard Fruits and draught Strongbow.

Triallists will also be given money-off vouchers and invited to enter a free prize draw to win £5,000. Themed events from The Biggest Round will also be staged in 286 Greene King venues, with either a female Our Treat pampering theme or a male-oriented Las Vegas Big Deal night out, depending on the outlet's regular customer profile.

The Biggest Round '08 is designed to drive footfall into participating outlets. All venues taking part will be entered into a £20,000 prize draw, with one entry for every customer trialled in their venue on a scheduled The Biggest Round night. Outlets will also receive a pack of pre-event publicity material, including invites for regular customers to distribute to their friends.



Targeting drinkers: S&N's Biggest Round hits pubs around the UK


In the off-trade, BEcause will mastermind 1,740 days of in-store sampling at ASDA, Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrison and Waitrose stores from June to August. Trained S&N brand ambassadors will again engage consumers in conversation about current drinks preferences, before offering a 30ml sample of one of S&N's cider brands plus money-off vouchers.

This is the fourth year that BEcause has run The Biggest Round initiative for S&N, but, for the first time the campaign will focus exclusively on the company's cider portfolio. The introduction of the themed Our Treat and The Big Deal nights will bring an additional experiential focus to this year's campaign.

"Over the last four years, The Biggest Round has established itself as an effective and popular promotion with consumers and licensees – and the activity has become a central plank in our marketing strategy,” said Jeni Spinks, head of trial at S&N UK. “By getting out and meeting new consumers face to face, talking about our brands, and offering people the chance to try something new based on their personal taste preferences, we've helped hundreds of thousands of people discover new S&N brands to add to their regular drinks portfolios."

Meanwhile, Sharon Richey, managing director of BEcause Experiential, was looking forward to another successful campaign. “This year is all about driving trial and growth across the cider category and delivering high footfall in on-trade venues. The depth of knowledge and understanding we have of interacting sensitively and effectively with drinkers in pubs, clubs, supermarkets and off-licences is second to none.”