Matthew Clark is going to extremes with a national summer promotional campaign for Blackthorn cider. The brand is being linked with cutting edge sports such as kite surfing and para karting in Coast 2 Coast, the latest initiative for the brand. Last year it introduced West Coast UK, an outdoor activity-based initiative, in the brand's south west heartland. In the 12 months to February the brand was the UK's fastest growing cider, increasing volumes by 32% [ACNielsen]. Senior brand manager Jeanette Newell said: "We have taken a proven lifestyle-based campaign and extended it to appeal to a national audience. Our research showed consumers attributed the growth of the brand to promotional activity and the success of West Coast UK in communicating a credible identity for it." She said the company had earmarked a £15m marketing spend for the brand this year. Most will be go on sponsorship and promotions as no TV ads are planned. From this week, Matthew Clark is rolling out a national promotion on five million packs in the off-trade offering consumers the chance to win a holiday to the ultimate surfing destination, Hawaii. It has lined up tailormade activity in three of the major multiples to support the promotion and the activity will be backed with PoS and displays. Extreme sporting is the central theme of the brand's sponsorship of three alternative leisure venues in the UK ­ the Extreme Academy in Newquay which offers kite surfing and jet skiing; Xscape in Milton Keynes, the home of the UK's largest indoor ski slope; and Ratho in Edinburgh which features the world's largest rock climbing arena. {{DRINKS }}

Topics