Diageo in £2m Christmas push

By Gemma Charles, marketingmagazine.co.uk, Monday, 12 December 2011 01:08PM

Diageo has unveiled a £2m festive ad and digital campaign to drive sales of Guinness for both in and out-of-home occasions.

Diageo: launches £2m Christmas campaign for Guinness

A campaign running across TV, pub TV and digital channels focuses on the liquid surging into a glass over a soundtrack of the Christmas classic "I’m dreaming of a white Christmas", before ending on the tagline "Dreaming of a white and black Christmas" - referring to the classic Guinness colours.

Additionally, an outdoor campaign featuring typical Christmas gifts such as an electric razor, a scarf and an aftershave looking like a pint of Guinness, is running in London and Birmingham, using the strapline: "Celebrate this Christmas with a Guinness".

Targeting the ever-growing digital market, an interactive Christmas-themed iAd for iPhone and iPad users will give consumers tips on upcoming events including gigs, comedy nights and special pub nights, as well as games and a quiz.

For Apple and Android users, an augmented reality app, downloadable through Blippar, will allow consumers to scan a pint or can of Guinness and decorate it with festive ornaments to share via social media platforms.

Nick Britton, senior brand manager Guinness Western Europe, said: "Guinness is synonymous with the Christmas season, whether it is enjoying a can in front of a festive film or a cold pint of draught at Christmas parties.

"We hope to really tap into all these drinking occasions, particularly amongst male drinkers who make up a significant number of Guinness drinkers. Men are notoriously hard to buy for and often receive gifts they don’t really want, when in many instances they would prefer the simple present of a pint of Guinness."

This article was first published on marketingmagazine.co.uk