Looking back

Adam Withrington casts an eye back over the year's biggest brands stories.

So how was 2004 for you? Unless your name is Kelly Holmes or you're a Greek football fan, the chances are you found it hard, what with the government and national media out to make demons of the drinks industry, coupled with licensing reform, smoking bans and the ever-decreasing prices supermarket chains charge for the same brands.

There has been lots of news in the past 12 months, but what is noticeable is that there hasn't been that much innovation in the drinks sector this year.

The two shining positives to come out of 2004 are firstly the beer industry's determination to really get the "quality" message out there - it has given itself a great platform to proceed in 2005. Secondly, drinks suppliers are beginning to work together to combat irresponsible drinking.

Here is a review of 2004, looking at some of the big drinks stories from the past year, as well as the significant moves in drinks marketing and brand innovation.

The big drinks stories from 2004​

January​

• Several national brewers raise beer prices
• Carlsberg-Tetley buys Holsten

February​

• Scottish & Newcastle announces the closure of the Fountainbridge Brewery in Edinburgh

March​

• The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) launches its Image of Beer campaign
• Carlsberg-Tetley changes its name to Carlsberg UK, prompting criticism from the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA)
• Coca-Cola Enterprises withdraws all bottles of its recently launched Dasani water, after it fails food safety regulations

April ​

• Diageo announces that Guinness brewing operations will move from London back to Dublin

August​

• Interbrew merges with Brazilian brewer Ambev to form InBev, now the world's largest brewer
• Pale Rider from the Kelham Island brewery in Sheffield is named the Champion Beer of Britain at the Great British Beer Festival. (In November Ridley's in Essex reaches an agreement to brew the beer under licence.) Greene King IPA wins a gold award at the festival but its victory is booed by CAMRA members
• The MacDonald family announces it is putting Glenmorangie up for sale. It is eventually purchased by French company LVMH

September​

• Interbrew says it will be closing the Boddingtons brewery in Strangeways, Manchester in February 2005

November​

• Ofcom promises a tightening-up of alcohol advertising rules.

Beer quality​

If any drinks category received special attention from marketing departments it was beer. With brewers and trade associations concerned with falling numbers of beer drinkers and the rise in the take home market, 2004 saw them put into practice a lot of the plans made over the last few years. We saw the launch of the BBPA's pilot Image of Beer campaign, the rising profile of the Beer Naturally campaign and the establishment of the Beer Academy. Now there appears to be pan-industry support and backing for brewers' main objective - to change the perception of beer among consumers. How they proceed with this is in 2005 will be interesting to see.

February​

• JW Lees announces introduction of mark of quality initiative - which guarantees a perfect pint

May​

• CAMRA runs Mild Month, dedicated to mild beers

June​

• Greene King launches a "centre of excellence" for beer quality in Bury St Edmunds

July​

• Tetley's launches marketing and quality campaign

August​

• Brulines and Cask Marque team up
• Interbrew emphasises its commitment to speciality beers

October​

• Greene King Beer Company runs its inaugural Cask Beer Month
• Budvar launches advertising campaign slamming Czech
  treatment of its traditional beers

November​

• Wadworth looks to market its beers through a "try before your buy" system in its pubs.

Responsible drinking​

February​

• Shooter brand X-Plode falls foul of The Portman Group code of practice for its sperm-shaped packaging

March​

• The government issues its National Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy, which calls for, among other things, a "social responsibility charter" for drinks producers
• Interbrew announces that it has developed a PET format for bottles of Stella Artois in response to fears that glass bottles may be banned in the on-trade
• The Portman Group pulls up Strelley Enterprises for its frozen cocktails with names of Sex on Beach and Screaming Orgasm and Fun Drinks over shot Quickie (pictured)​

April​

• Shooter brands Shotz and V are also pulled up by The Portman Group

May​

• Inspirit Brands defends the Knicker Dropper Glory shooter, which contains its hazelnut liqueur Frangelico, following criticism in the national press

June​

• The BBC airs an episode of Panorama which accuses the "drinks industry" of single-handedly creating the binge-drinking problem that now exists on our streets

July​

• Carlsberg introduces a new clause into its contracts with retailers which insists that the retailer must sell Carlsberg products responsibly

August​

• Coors announces it will be putting responsible messages on its packaging

October​

• Scottish Courage announces it will also be putting responsible drinking messages on its packaging, as does Hi-Spirits

November​

• The Portman Group launches responsible drinking website as it takes Charles Wells to task over its Muse cocktails.
• The Scotch Whisky Association appoints an alcohol policy manager

New brand launches in 2004​

January ​

• Wolverhampton & Dudley Brands (WDB) announces it will be launching Marstons FC - a nitrokeg beer
• Diageo relaunches Gordon's Sloe Gin

February​

• WDB launches low-carb beer Marston's Resolution
• Scottish Courage introduces Kronenbourg Blanc into the on-trade
• Vodka Kick adds a cherry flavour to its range
• Diageo launches Baileys Glide RTD

March​

• Robinson's brewery revamps its flagship Best Bitter and renames it Unicorn
• Diageo announces new packaging for Smirnoff Ice
• Diageo agrees to scrap its Cardhu pure malt concept

April​

• Amrut Indian whisky comes to the UK
• Vladivar launches two new RTDs - Black and White Russians
• Jose Cuervo laun