Guinness aims to drive sales with Six Nations rugby activation kits

17-Jan-2017 - Last updated on 17-Jan-2017 at 16:39 GMT

Stout performer: Guinness has created 6,000 activation kits

Diageo-owned Guinness has created 6,000 activation kits in a bid to drive on-trade sales during the RBS Six Nations rugby tournament.

Bunting, posters and flags will be sent to venues that request them alongside Guinness-branded fixture lists ahead of the competition, which begins on 4 February and runs until 18 March.

The move aims to generate engagement and build on the success of the 2016 tournament packs, which helped drive a 47% year-on-year uplift in volume of the stout in outlets where kits were available, the drinks giant said.

Experiencing a real high

“With the recent success of the England squad, which remained unbeaten throughout 2016, rugby awareness is experiencing a real high,” Emma Rochford, senior commercial planning manager at Diageo, insisted. Tapping into these fixtures therefore presents a golden opportunity for licensees, and our Guinness activation kits provide the means to do just that.”

Last year, Diageo-owned Pimm’s distributed 74,000 pitchers, 80,000 stirrers and 75,000 metres of bunting to help publicans capitalise on the Queen’s weekend-long 90th birthday celebrations.

Stout drinkers 'spend more'

Rochford added: “The stout consumer is very important to licensees, particularly during the rugby season.

"Stout drinkers spend more on average per visit than all other beer categories and are more loyal to the on-trade than lager drinkers so with Guinness representing 96% of the total stout category, it’s important licensees stock up on either a 50-litre keg or 30-litre keg to unlock significant profit potential.”