Greene King has strengthened its hand in the premium cask ale market with the repositioning of its flagship beer, Abbot Ale.
Following research into consumer perceptions of Abbot, the Suffolk-based brewer has given the cask ale brand a facelift in an effort to make it more relevant to young drinkers.
Sarah Whyte, marketing manager for Greene King, said: "What came over loud and clear from our research was that we have an awesome beer in Abbot Ale but that the image just wasn't doing it justice.
"While we are very proud of our brewing traditions, the modern consumer is much more interested in the look of the brand and the taste of the beer."
The medieval cleric who has stared out from pump clips, bottles and drip mats for decades, has been replaced by a seal of approval-style image as part of a cleaner looking design.
As well as the new look brand packaging, Greene King is investing £500,000 in a media campaign, including new advertising, in an attempt to make Abbot the number one premium ale in the UK.
According to recent AC Nielsen figures, Abbot is enjoying seven per cent on-trade growth and trails only Bass and Marston's Pedigree in the premium cask ale market.
Pubs will see new point-of-sale material, including branded Abbot Ale glasses, bar towels and drip mats.
Sampling nights will be held in Greene King pubs and free trade outlets while "hit squads" will be touring the country to give out 25,000 free samples during April.
In addition to the relaunch of Abbot Ale, Greene King has earmarked April for the launch of a new advertising campaign as well as a number of on-trade initiatives for its core IPA standard cask ale brand.
These include a summer garden promotion and, later in the year, an on-trade quality improvement initiative.