By Andrew Starke
Coopers Brewery is launching a pre-Christmas campaign to raise awareness of its ultra-light brewed malt beverage, Coopers Birell.
A series of cheeky outdoor advertising shells carrying the message ‘When Judgement Matters’ will begin appearing on major roadside billboards throughout Sydney and Melbourne this month as well as in selected national publications.
Coopers Birell is a brewed soft drink with a beer taste and is produced by Coopers under licence from Carlsberg.
It has an alcohol content of less than 0.5 percent by volume – about the same as fruit juice – which classifies it as non-alcoholic and is widely sold in supermarkets with other brewed soft drinks such as ginger beer.
Scott Harris, Coopers’ Marketing Manager Brewing Products, said that the campaign had been launched in the lead-up to Christmas as many people would be looking for non alcoholic alternatives so they could socialise with friends and still be able to drive.
The advertisements, produced by Showpony Advertising in Adelaide, highlight situations where poor judgement could lead to unwanted consequences.
Harris said Birell sales in Australia had been trending upwards in recent years, in line with a worldwide trend towards ultra low alcohol beers that appeared to be a result of health and social responsibility messages hitting home.
“There is a group of people who have been advised by their doctors against drinking alcohol but still enjoy the taste of beer,” he said.
“Worldwide, consumption of ultra-low alcohol beer is booming with European sales in the five years to 2008 reportedly up 50 percent.”
The brewing process used in making Coopers Birell is the same as any other lager, with the difference being the particular yeast that is used.
The Birell yeast stops fermenting once the alcohol level in the fermentation vats reaches around 0.45 percent.
“In Japan and Spain, these products make up a rapidly growing proportion of the beer market, so it is clear that the market in Australia is still in its infancy,” Harris said.
Coopers Birell is available at Woolworths, Coles, IGA and selected Dan Murphy stores in 375 ml bottles and cans.