With the festive season upon us, consumers are thinking about stocking up the liquor cabinet. Traditionally it's a time for spirits manufacturers to increase advertising spend and push their brands as Christmas tipples. Last year, the market spent 41% of its annual advertising budget in November and December.
Spirits advertising on press and TV over the past four weeks, however, has been down 25% on the same period last year. Baileys, a hugely seasonal advertiser, has invested 61% less than in 2007. The binge drinking clampdown and the impact of the economic downturn on marketing budgets both appear to have taken their toll.
Yet not everyone is allowing their spirits to flag. One brand bucking the trend is Gordon's gin. In the four weeks to 18 November, Diageo spent more than £330,000 on advertising its Gordon's gin brand - almost three times the amount it spent in the same period last year. While its stablemates Baileys, Bell's and Smirnoff are spending the majority of their advertising budgets on TV, Gordon's is opting for press advertising.
In addition to the figures shown in our table, it is also using poster advertising at an unusually high weight for a spirits advertiser - in October it spent £250,000 on outdoor advertising alone.
Gordon's message is that its gin puts 'the G in G&T' and its campaign features celebrity chef and namesake Gordon Ramsay, whose familiar face adorns the brand's large-scale poster sites and press ads. This tie-up also includes sponsorship of his Channel Four Friday night Cookalong Live TV show .
Ramsay's popularity and influence has risen sharply in the last few years but all celebrity endorsements come with a degree of risk. Recent news stories surrounding the chef's personal life could have a negative effect on the brand. Then again, the old adage that 'there's no such thing as bad publicity' could equally well hold true.
One of Gordon's biggest competitors, Bacardi's Bombay Sapphire, is also running a press campaign - although at a significantly lower weight than last year.
With three weeks left to go until Christmas, it remains to be seen if the spirits of Christmas past will return to our screens and pages for a late push - or whether Gordon's (like its celebrity namesake) will be left shouting the loudest.
Spirits advertising on press and TV over the past four weeks, however, has been down 25% on the same period last year. Baileys, a hugely seasonal advertiser, has invested 61% less than in 2007. The binge drinking clampdown and the impact of the economic downturn on marketing budgets both appear to have taken their toll.
Yet not everyone is allowing their spirits to flag. One brand bucking the trend is Gordon's gin. In the four weeks to 18 November, Diageo spent more than £330,000 on advertising its Gordon's gin brand - almost three times the amount it spent in the same period last year. While its stablemates Baileys, Bell's and Smirnoff are spending the majority of their advertising budgets on TV, Gordon's is opting for press advertising.
In addition to the figures shown in our table, it is also using poster advertising at an unusually high weight for a spirits advertiser - in October it spent £250,000 on outdoor advertising alone.
Gordon's message is that its gin puts 'the G in G&T' and its campaign features celebrity chef and namesake Gordon Ramsay, whose familiar face adorns the brand's large-scale poster sites and press ads. This tie-up also includes sponsorship of his Channel Four Friday night Cookalong Live TV show .
Ramsay's popularity and influence has risen sharply in the last few years but all celebrity endorsements come with a degree of risk. Recent news stories surrounding the chef's personal life could have a negative effect on the brand. Then again, the old adage that 'there's no such thing as bad publicity' could equally well hold true.
One of Gordon's biggest competitors, Bacardi's Bombay Sapphire, is also running a press campaign - although at a significantly lower weight than last year.
With three weeks left to go until Christmas, it remains to be seen if the spirits of Christmas past will return to our screens and pages for a late push - or whether Gordon's (like its celebrity namesake) will be left shouting the loudest.
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