E-Malt.com News article: Czech Republic: Plzensky Prazdroj launches a new packaging for the best selling Czech beer

Plzenský Prazdroj, a major Czech beer producer, announced it commenced on February 20 with packaging of its Gambrinus brand to new bottles. New half-litre bottles for all brand variants are from brown glass, so called Gold type. The label is also substantially changed with more dynamic colour combination and design, while the characteristic attributes of Gambrinus traditional logo remained untouched. New crates will be gradually replacing the existing ones during upcoming weeks. This innovation aims to further develop the potential of the brand with current market share of 25 per cent in the Czech Republic. By launching the new Gambrinus packaging, Plzensky Prazdroj declared its priority approach to Gambrinus brand. The best-selling Czech beer is getting world-class outfit, which will increase its visibility in off-trade and will differentiate the brand from competition.

Says Mike Short, Managing Director of Plzensky Prazdroj: "Our aim is to to improve substantially the packaging for this priority brand. We need to work continuously at updating our brand imagery to ensure that it stays current and exciting, without losing any of the brand’s core values. We have to stay abreast of developments around us and to be ahead of competition. One of the steps, which can contribute to this is definitely a new packaging.“

The current transformation of Gambrinus packaging was confirmed by extensive marketing surveys in which the consumers would invite better presentation of the brand in off-trade. Consumers clearly preferred brown glass for Gambrinus bottle. Researches’ participants did not judge the appearance of the labels too well in comparison with other beer brands.

The changes of the label are most evident in combination of colours and more dynamic shape. The logo is more distinctive – a combination of red background with white Gambrinus lettering. The three typical design elements used until now have remained the same – the slanting Gambrinus lettering, the font and the G symbol.

Consumers will become familiar with the new packaging through the intensive communication campaign, which will include TV spots, billboards and citylights in all big cities and on important motorways. The campaign with the main slogan “Gambrinus team in a new outfit” will start in March 2006 and its main theme will be football. It will also mean a start of the brand’s communication in relation to the World Football Championship 2006, since Gambrinus brand is one of the official partners of the Czech national football team.

Basic facts:
• New Gambrinus bottles of Gold type are SABMiller private bottles, which are used in several other breweries world-wide, e.g. in Slovakia. First round of bottles‘ exchange will apply for approx. 50 mil. pieces. The producer is Vetropack Moravia Glass from Czech Republic.

• New crates will be gradually launching since with the process to be finished until August 2006. The expected production is 1.5 mil. pieces of crates. Crates are made by modern technology with advanced design and material.

• The weight of Gambrinus crates filled with bottles is to be reduced by almost 2 kilograms – new bottles are 20% lighter and the weight of new crates is approximately 100g less compared to present crates.

• Plzensky Prazdroj’s main beer brands in the Czech Republic are Pilsner Urquell, Gambrinus, Radegast and Velkopopovicky Kozel.

• Plzensky Prazdroj employs 2,694 people in the Pilsen, Radegast and Velke Popovice breweries and in 13 Sales and Distribution Centres throughout the Czech Republic.

• Plzensky Prazdroj is a subsidiary of SABMiller plc, one of the world’s largest brewers with brewing interests or distribution agreements in over 60 countries across five continents. The group’s brands include premium international beers such as Miller Genuine Draft, Peroni Nastro Azzurro and Pilsner Urquell.


22 February, 2006