Bray Leino helps Tribute get a-head in South West
1st October 2007
Bray Leino has won a two-year contract, worth an estimated £1m, to raise awareness of Tribute beer in the South West.
Although Tribute is already officially the ‘South West's Favourite Beer'*, St Austell Brewery's is keen to extend its popularity among its target audience of male ‘outdoor types'.
Bray Leino has devised a fully-integrated campaign that includes a major rugby sponsorship programme, heavyweight regional press, a new digital campaign and ‘special build' outdoor sites at major gateways to the region.
It is also supported by the strapline ‘You've Earned it' along with imagery of situations where a sense achievement has been ‘earned'.
The focal point of the Tribute campaign, which is now the ‘Official Beer of the South West Rugby', will be its sponsorship of 157 rugby clubs in 14 leagues across Cornwall, Devon and Somerset during the 2007/08 season. The leagues have also been renamed the Tribute South West Leagues.
Rugby is big news in the region, with both the Cornish Pirates and the Exeter Chiefs currently riding high in the National League Division One. World Cup Rugby winners Phil Vickery and Julian White also began their careers in the South West.
The deal, which was agreed with the South West Division Organising Committee, also includes high profile involvement at three end of season play-off games as well as presentation evenings within each of the three counties.
A variety of branded merchandise, such as ‘next match' posters, training balls and water bottles, will also be distributed. Bray Leino has also created a new logo specifically for the Tribute South West Leagues.
The 156-year-old family-owned brewery already backs gig rowing and sailing in Cornwall and Devon (where it is the main sponsor for the Falmouth Week, second only in popularity to Cowes Week). It is also involved with Plymouth Argyle Football Club.
Bruce Hutton, managing director of Bray Leino, says: "St Austell Brewery is keen to increase sales of Tribute and when the opportunity arose to support local rugby they didn't need a second invitation.
"There is a long association between St Austell Brewery and sports in the region, and the creation of the Tribute South West Leagues will help to leverage this further."
Jeremy Mitchell, head of marketing for St Austell Brewery, adds: "We are looking forward to supporting grass roots rugby union in the South West and the opportunity to target potential Tribute drinkers."
The St Austell Brewery win comes only a matter of days after Bray Leino secured the contract to handle the media buying for another famous Cornish institution - University College Falmouth.
Bruce Hutton says: "While the agency handles predominantly national and international clients, it's great to also be able to work with such well-known regional names as St Austell Brewery and University College Falmouth."
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