John Smith's creates responsible drinking campaign around Grand National

By Loulla-Mae Eleftheriou-Smith, marketingmagazine.co.uk, Wednesday, 11 April 2012 12:11PM

John Smith's is launching a marketing campaign urging consumers to drink responsibly at the Grand National, which will include its first-ever TV ad to air at Aintree.

John Smith's: rolls out Grand National campaign

The campaign marks the first time the Heineken-owned brand has run responsible drinking messages around the event in the history of its eight year sponsorship.

The Grand National begins on April 12 and ends on April 14.

The campaign will run in Liverpool and at the Aintree racecourse from tomorrow (12 April), and will be live for the next three days.

It feeds into the brand’s heavyweight outdoor campaign to promote its title sponsorship of the Grand National for the second year running.

The campaign, created by Aesop, operates under John Smith's "No nonsense" messaging. Outdoor ads use different phrases including, "Get home straight" and "too much makes the going soft", ending with the strapline, "Drink responsibly".

The push also marks the first TV ad from John Smith's focused specifically on the Grand National. It shows a race-goer having a comical "tick tack" conversation with a bookie, before his friend steps to mime the universal actions for going to the bar.

The ad will air on screens at the racecourse and on YouTube.

Heineken said it is committed to promoting the responsible consumption of its products, stating that the campaign messaging is not due to any Government requirements.

The brewer said it actively and voluntarily promotes a message of responsible drinking through other sports sponsorship programmes such as the rugby Heineken Cup and Uefa Champions League football.

This article was first published on marketingmagazine.co.uk