The booming market in ‘hard soft drinks’ is proving good news for PR
agencies with three new alcoholic lemonade and soda brands hiring
agencies within the last two weeks.
Carlsberg-Tetley has hired Mark Borkowski PR to launch its alcoholic
lemonade Lemon Heads against rival brands Hooper’s Hooch from Bass and
Merrydown’s Two Dogs.
The product will be aimed at what managing director Mark Borkowski calls
‘the loaded generation who take 18-30 holidays’.
Borkowski is also handling the launch of the UK’s first alcoholic soda,
Vault, for Carlsberg-Tetley, targeting a more sophisticated consumer
audience through style magazines, the technology press and the Internet.
Also within the last two weeks MacLaurin Communications & Media has been
hired to promote alcoholic citrus drink Mrs Puckers for the drinks
distributor, Intercontinental Brands.
The account, worth pounds 50,000 in fees, covers trade and consumer PR
for the product, which arrived in stores in September.
Finally, Lynne Franks has won the the PR account for Australian cult
lemonade Sub-Zero (PR Week, 8 September).
The agency has already organised tie-ups with designers at London
Fashion Week - another client - on behalf of Sub-Zero’s distributor
Cour-age. It will continue to target select fashion media before a
mainstream launch next year.
‘This is just the tip of the iceberg,’ said Carlsberg-Tetley brands PR
and communications manager Gill Freshwater. ‘Hard soft drinks are
breaking down barriers in the traditional ways people segment the drinks
market. They cut across sex and age and are not seasonal.’
A spokesman from Alcohol Concern, however, expressed fears that the
marketing of many hard soft drinks will appeal to younger consumers.
‘Brewers are looking for people who are making the transition from soft
to alcoholic drinks and this means people of 14 upwards.’
