Stella Artois reclaims ‘Reassuringly Expensive’ asset for reopening

As the UK lockdown starts to lift and hospitality gradually reopens, Stella Artois is banking on Brits turning to trusted brands when they order a pint.

The Belgian brand is reintroducing a tagline from yesteryear, Marketing Week reports, one that ran from the 80s until 2007 – “Reassuringly Expensive”. And it’s also launching a feel-good campaign to support workers in hospitality, who have been badly affected economically by enforced closures of pubs and restaurants.

• The “Stella Tips” campaign aims to donate £1 to staff in the industry for every pint of Stella sold for a month from April 12th, with around 12,000 hospitality workers expected to benefit from an estimated £500,000. 
• The echo of a tagline that stretches back to the last millennium aims to engender nostalgia among drinkers, a reminder of happier, less-complicated times. Stella owner AB InBev, which will run the national campaign on TV and outdoor sites, also plans to include a montage of five old ads that celebrate the return to the pub. The final sign-off will highlight the more up-to-date messaging, “The Life Artois”.
• Stella, which says it’s seen a significant lift in off-trade sales during COVID restrictions, also says it wants to start a movement that encourages people to tip bar staff, which, unlike many other countries, is not an expected practice in the UK.

Key:

“We’ve seen really positive results over the past year in the off-trade. Everybody has been going back to trusted brands.” Patricia Garcia, Stella Artois Marketing Manager. 

Sourced from Marketing Week, image: AB Inbev