Guinness looks to get its timing right with new campaign

The drinks giant will be supporting the latest “Guinness Time” campaign with an on-pack promotion, in-store sampling and visibility, TV and print advertising and PR.

In July, Diageo announced a 12-month sponsorship of network film on Channel 4, featuring idents of Guinness and Baileys. The “17:59. It’s Guinness Time” campaign will drive this association further, putting Guinness “at the heart of the at home, evening drinking occasion”.

The campaign will include an on-pack promotion that will run for six weeks across the larger 10, 12, 15 and 18-packs of Guinness Draught in a Can and the Guinness Original 12-pack.

As part of the promotion, Guinness will partner with Lovefilm.com, the DVD postal rental company and film community website. When consumers sign up to a month’s subscription with Lovefilm.com, they will then receive a free Guinness Choice DVD box set, including titles featuring Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, as well as The Godfather and the Bourne Trilogy.

In addition to the on-pack promotion, there will also be POS available for retailers to create in-store theatre, as well as in-store sampling.
The new Guinness campaign also includes a TV advert, which will run from September for six weeks.

Richard Barlow, senior brand manager at Diageo GB, said: “The Channel 4 sponsorship has established the association between Guinness and the at-home, evening drinking occasion. By running the 17:59 campaign, we are able to drive this association further.

“Guinness shoppers spend 64% more on beers, wines and spirits than the average alcohol shopper, so it is essential that we find a way to drive them in-store, and the POS kits will help retailers to increase visibility of the Guinness packs. We believe that focusing on this evening drinking occasion, is the ideal way of engaging new consumers into the Guinness brand.”