Fisherman's Friend sponsors strongest man competitions

Broadcasting between September 2008 and January 2009 - a time of year when consumption of Fisherman's Friend is at its peak - the cult competition draws in a huge viewing audience of nearly 2,000,000 viewers per programme in the key Christmas and New Year holiday period. Supporting the brand's 'strong' positioning, the programmes will feature idents at the start and end of each episode showing the iconic Fisherman's Friend pack lifting, pulling and throwing the word 'STRONG', mimicking the events in the competition.

This latest marketing initiative from Fisherman's Friend follows on from the successful launch of its first new product line, Sugar Free Blackcurrant, in September this year and, along with the innovative Strongman University Challenge taking place in October and November, is a key part of the major investment plan to revitalise this iconic brand.

Created in 1977, the World's Strongest Man has become the premier event in strength athletics. For nearly 30 years, the strongest men on the planet have come together in a series of unique and amazing tests of strength to determine the World's Strongest Man. The competition has travelled to stunning and varied locations such as Zambia, Iceland, Mauritius, Malaysia, Morocco and China.

Martin Stimson, Area Business Manager for UK and Ireland at Impex Business Management, which manages Fisherman's Friend on behalf of Lofthouse of Fleetwood Ltd, comments: “For years, Fisherman's Friend has positioned itself as 'the strongest there is' and this sponsorship offers real synergy for us; it is the perfect partnership.

He adds: “We know that Fisherman's Friend enjoys a cult status of its own and that is perfectly reflected in the popularity of World's Strongest Man – millions of TV viewers who would never normally watch weightlifting or bodybuilding are real fans of the show and this allows us to communicate to both our core audience of older males as well as our new target younger consumer.”

Fisherman's Friend was first produced in Fleetwood, Lancashire, in 1865 by pharmacist James Lofthouse. Fleetwood was one of the UK's great fishing ports and Fisherman's Friend was originally produced to help the fishermen combat the coughs, colds and bronchial problems that they suffered from on their long voyages into the inhospitable waters and freezing conditions of the North Atlantic fishing grounds. It was not until 1974 that Fisherman's Friend was first exported to Norway, which remains the highest per capita consuming market in the world today.

Lofthouse of Fleetwood Ltd has won the Queen's Award to Industry for Export Achievement on three occasions.

For sales enquiries, please contact Lisa Mullins at Jenks on 01844 293619 or [e=mailto: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ] This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it [/e]