£12 million being spent on getting us to drink Hardys

Hardys is hitting us with a £12 million marketing campaign this year – the most ever to be spent on a wine brand in the UK.

With the aim of maintaining its number one wine brand position here as well as getting new consumers to try wine, the campaign focuses on Hardys heritage. The theme is ‘One love since 1853’, which shows Thomas Hardy, whose passion and determination founded the Australian brand over 150 years, according to owner Constellation Europe. The story goes that he had a dream to produce exceptional wines from the New World and his enterprising and resourceful spirit brought that dream to life.

Constellation research has shown that film is of major interest both to Hardys existing consumers and potential new wine drinkers, so the big push begins this month with TV advertising within films and dramas, along with sponsorship of Sky Box Office and a promotional link-up with The Times for ‘Movies that matter’. Hardys is also sponsoring Lovefilm, the UK’s biggest DVD rental service.

Beyond this, there will be events, in-store activity and promotions running, everything to get us trying and drinking Hardys wine. As Troy Christensen, president of Constellation Europe, puts it, ‘We’re giving consumers a compelling reason both to buy into wine and to buy Hardys.’