Interbrew reveals new plans for Castlemaine XXXX

Interbrew UK has unveiled its plans for the relaunch of Aussie lager Castlemaine XXXX.

A £9m marketing campaign will attempt to persuade drinkers to take a fresh look at the brand and includes a new livery across the range and television advertising from April.

The roll out of a redesigned font is under way and adds a silver and green surround to the familiar red XXXX on a yellow background which remains the brand icon.

The ad campaign is still in development but marketing controller Matthew King said the main aim was to "broaden the appeal of the brand and give it a more contemporary edge".

It will retain the laid back attitude and humour which characterised the famous "couldn't give a XXXX" campaign that launched the brand in the UK in 1984.

Interbrew acquired the rights to Castlemaine in order to replace Heineken Cold Filtered as its standard lager when the latter was taken back by the Dutch brewer in order to focus on the premium Heineken Export.

Over the last few years XXXX has taken a back seat to Carlsberg in the Carlsberg-Tetley porfolio and disappeared from many bars. Volume has declined to 150,000 barrels a year across just 5,000 accounts but Mr King believes that Interbrew's relaunch can double its distribution and quadruple its sales within the first year.