Halewood International is breaking into the "female-focused" adult soft drink market with a blokey beer-style brew called Iron Press.
Made with a barley and malt base, Iron Press (rsp: £2 per 500ml bottle) comprises apple and lime juice-flavoured variants, which also contain a natural agent that creates a frothy head in the glass.
Available from next month, Iron Press was designed to provide men with an alternative to sweet, carbonated adult soft drink brands like Shloer and Bottlegreen, which Halewood claimed were targeted at women.
The bottle label features the line 'The soft drink for real men'. Above-the-line marketing support, which includes a TV campaign in September, would revive the cheeky humour "that beer adverts like Carling Black Label used to have in the 1970s and 80s", added Richard Clark, head of innovation at Halewood, which also makes Crabbie's Alcoholic Ginger Beer.
"Men are demanding a greater choice of soft drinks in the take-home channel," said Clark. "A growing number of men no longer drink alcohol, either for health reasons or change in their lifestyle, yet the choice they are offered is very limited. We believe there is an opportunity to reach out to men with this product in a fun, innovative and entertaining way, and will invest in the brand on a level similar to Crabbie's."
Halewood has invested more than £4m in marketing Crabbie's Alcholic Ginger Beer since it was launched in February last year. Iron Press will compete with WP Hopper, another beer-style soft drink that won listings with Waitrose this month.
Made with a barley and malt base, Iron Press (rsp: £2 per 500ml bottle) comprises apple and lime juice-flavoured variants, which also contain a natural agent that creates a frothy head in the glass.
Available from next month, Iron Press was designed to provide men with an alternative to sweet, carbonated adult soft drink brands like Shloer and Bottlegreen, which Halewood claimed were targeted at women.
The bottle label features the line 'The soft drink for real men'. Above-the-line marketing support, which includes a TV campaign in September, would revive the cheeky humour "that beer adverts like Carling Black Label used to have in the 1970s and 80s", added Richard Clark, head of innovation at Halewood, which also makes Crabbie's Alcoholic Ginger Beer.
"Men are demanding a greater choice of soft drinks in the take-home channel," said Clark. "A growing number of men no longer drink alcohol, either for health reasons or change in their lifestyle, yet the choice they are offered is very limited. We believe there is an opportunity to reach out to men with this product in a fun, innovative and entertaining way, and will invest in the brand on a level similar to Crabbie's."
Halewood has invested more than £4m in marketing Crabbie's Alcholic Ginger Beer since it was launched in February last year. Iron Press will compete with WP Hopper, another beer-style soft drink that won listings with Waitrose this month.
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