£1.2m marketing campaign for Blackthorn

Gaymer Cider Company is pumping £1.2m into marketing its Blackthorn brand in its south west heartland this year.

The 'Loving Sport in Blackthorn Country' campaign includes regional print, radio and outdoor advertising, and plays on sporting humour and language.

It involves high profile sponsorships of south west sports teams and a PR campaign supporting sports in the region. Sponsorship deals include Bristol City FC, Bristol Rugby Club, Bath Rugby Club, Somerset County Cricket Club, and the British Skittles Championship.

The campaign is underpinned by a series of customer-facing schemes. The Blackthorn Affinity programme means on-trade stockists will be supplied with customer incentives and merchandising help throughout the year.

Gaymer Cider Company managing director John Mills said: "Blackthorn's target consumers are down-to-earth blokes with traditional values, and sport is an integral part of their lives.

"Our latest campaign aims to integrate the brand into the heart of the community through sport, making Blackthorn synonymous with sport in the south west, while firmly establishing the region as 'Blackthorn country'."