Blue Marlin puts on its thinking cap for S A Brains
S A Brains, Wales’ largest independent brewer, has appointed integrated branding and design agency, Blue Marlin, to redesign its cask ale portfolio.
The agency will design a new look for Brains’ four core cask ales, including its S A, S A Gold, Dark and Original Bitter brands, as well as the brewer’s four seasonal ales.
The new design is scheduled for launch in late spring 2011 and will apply to pump clips, bottle labels and can livery.
Recent cask ale sales have grown steadily, despite reports from the British Beer and Pub Association that overall annual beer and lager figures being down 6%.
The appeal of cask ale is fuelled by an increase in consumer interest in natural, crafted products with clear individuality.
“Cask ale is now seen as the discerning choice in the drinks market, as people appreciate its provenance and heritage,” explained Blue Marlin global business development director, Simon Jones.
“It is becoming more popular with the 18-25s age category and so Brains want to ensure that its image remains contemporary.
“It is an exciting time to be working with one of the best independent brewers in the UK.”
Richard Davies, sales and marketing director for S A Brains compared the significance of the new look to that of the ‘Swoosh’ used by sports brand Nike.
“Our current cask design has been in market since 2002 and we felt that the bar presentation needed to be reworked to increase the modernity, increase bar standout and give us a unique design device,” he said.