HOBGOBLIN WORKS HIS MAGIC

Hobgoblin, Wychwood Brewery’s bottled beer brand, which was given an improved recipe and new livery in 2003 as part of a move to unify its cask and bottle versions, will benefit from a Trade and National Consumer advertising campaign beginning in March.

After the success in 2003 of its first ever advertising, which challenged drinkers with the words: “What’s the matter Lagerboy, afraid you might taste something?” (which will be used during March and April in the national broadsheets), the new trade advertisements have again been created by advertising agency Wild Colonial Boys and carry the strapline:

“With the help of this magic potion, she’ll be gorgeous.”

In which the Hobgoblin uses the magical powers of Hobgoblin ale to transform a witch into a beautiful princess.

Kate Blazey, of Wychwood Brewery commented, “The new advertising builds on the special image of Wychwood Brewery and its surrounding forests and uses dark humour to convey the rich, mysterious and rewarding character of our beer.”

The combination of the well-received ‘Lagerboy’ advertising and the new recipe for Hobgoblin, saw sales of Hobgoblin rising by over 40% in the three months before Christmas. The new adverts will appear in trade and consumer publications during March and April.

Kate Blazey continued:
“Hobgoblin was born in 1985 and as Wychwood were one of the first to understand the potential for bottled beers, it quickly established itself as an important bottled brand, with distribution in nearly every supermarket. Hobgoblin is now the 6th biggest selling bottled ale in Britain and it is forging its own ‘deliciously dark’ sector of the market. It has amazing potential and we are now giving it the support and profile it deserves.”

Jeremy Moss, Wychwood’s head brewer comments:
“As a result of consumer research carried out in 2003, we tweaked the Hobgoblin recipe to produce a dark richer flavoured beer that is perfect for savouring. The new Hobgoblin is full bodied and well balanced, with a chocolate toffee-malt flavour, moderate bitterness and a distinctive fruity character with a ruby red glow.”