SA brand icon Castle Lager goes back to its 'roots'

Castle Lager is the second largest selling beer in South Africa and is the flagship brand of the South African Breweries Limited.

For the past number of years, Castle Lager has consistently been voted South Africa's favourite beer brand according to the Markinor/Sunday Times survey. Last year, it was voted third most popular brand overall in South Africa, with the South African Breweries (SAB) being voted favourite overall brand.

Marketing Director of The South African Breweries Limited, Peter McLoughlin, said: "No great brand remains static. A strong brand evolves constantly, ensuring that it remains relevant to its consumers. Castle is deeply woven into the fabric of South African society and over 100 years has achieved icon status. The Castle Lager of the new millennium reflects a society that is constantly evolving."

"An important part of staying relevant to consumers means building on what made Castle Lager great in the first place and presenting it in a way that has currency for consumers today. From humble beginnings in the 1890's, Charles Glass brewed a 'somewhat dry, somewhat bitter, never sweet' beer. A beer that is perfectly balanced to satisfy the South African thirst, but which also represents the very heart and spirit of South Africa: our values, aspirations, optimism and experiences."

As part of the refreshment process, the new can and bottle graphics have been very carefully designed to build on the brand's famous iconography. The design has retained everything that is recognizable to consumers, with a modernized and refreshed look and feel. The new packaging design, which was launched to the trade this week, has already elicited an overwhelmingly positive response, says McLoughlin.

The campaign will be supported by a wide range of media applications, including a new television advertisement, which McLoughlin says reinforces the fact that there is no place in the world like South Africa and no beer in the world like Castle Lager.

"The marketing message is dynamic, yet consistent. Together, the enduring quality of the product and what it represents make Castle a symbol of what is great about South Africa."