'DON'T QUOTE ME ON THAT'

Each month a senior buyer from our

panel talks anonymously and candidly about the latest brand developments

On a rainy night last week driving down a busy town-centre road, an advert on the side of a bus stop for a particularly popular bottled Irish cider (you know the one) caught my eye. It wasn't until I had virtually passed it that I noticed it was in fact an ad for Bulmers Original.

Our industry is famous for 'me too' products, but it's not the same for the product being reviewed today. Bulmers was and, for that matter, is the original. It's just that Bulmers, now owned by S&NUK, didn't have the foresight or indeed the bottle to invest.

Magners does try hard though, doesn't it? It certainly has a big enough budget. But does the company always get it right? Account managers come and go quicker than you can say 'served over ice', it has run out of branded glasses on more than one occasion and I'm sure I am not the only MA reader to notice there is a tinge of arrogance about it. That aside, I do love its TV ads and when I'm in the mood for a little 'time for myself' it's not a bad drop.

I know that is not the product I am supposed to be reviewing, so back to Bulmers. It's a very good product actually, with good packaging, heritage and, if you play your cards right, a good cost price.

The label on the back of the bottle says the contents are "patiently vat matured". Well, patience is a virtue and if S&NUK waits patiently a little longer, invests and supports well, and doesn't run out of branded glasses, it may well upset the proverbial apple cart. It's worth a try.