S&N to spend £7million buying a round

Scottish & Newcastle is putting £7m behind this year's 'Biggest Round' initiative - where it buys punters an S&N brand drink to try. It aims...

Scottish & Newcastle is putting £7m behind this year's 'Biggest Round' initiative - where it buys punters an S&N brand drink to try.

It aims to introduce over one million consumers to new S&N drinks by the end of the summer.

The national campaign is running simultaneously in the on and off-trade sectors.

At each selected outlet, teams of trained S&N Brand Advocates will engage consumers in individual conversations about their taste preferences, before persuading them to try something new with a free drink from a selection of leading S&N brands.

The Biggest Round is far more sophisticated in both its planning and implementation than a traditional sampling campaign.James Brown, a customer marketing manager at S&N UK

The on-trade campaign involves 6,000 events at pubs and clubs across the country, promoting a total of ten draught and bottled S&N UK brands: John Smiths, Foster's, Foster's Twist, Bulmers Original, Strongbow, Strongbow Sirrus, Kronenbourg 1664, Kronenbourg Blanc, San Miguel and Jacques.

A spokesman said: "On pre-advertised promotional nights, 'The Biggest Round' team circulates within selected outlets, chatting to consumers and helping them choose which S&N brand they would like to try, courtesy of the brewer.

"The Brand Advocates then collect the drinks from the bar and serve them professionally in branded glasses at the table.

"Triallists are all given a money-off voucher against their next purchase of that brand.

"The vouchers also offer the chance to enter an on-line prize draw for cash prizes totalling £10,000."

James Brown, a customer marketing manager at S&N UK said: "The Biggest Round is far more sophisticated in both its planning and implementation than a traditional sampling campaign.

"It is a highly personalised and interactive programme, tailored to suit individual needs. The programme generated fantastic consumer feedback last year and we're confident it will be even more successful in 2007."

Last year's Biggest Round campaign reached over 850,000 customers.