Source: Greene King

The brand has added 335ml bottles to its roster of formats

Greene King has given Old Speckled Hen a major rebrand to bring the traditional ale brand in line with modern tastes.

It has rolled out a new look, which retains the brand’s ‘octagon’ and name, but added a “sleeker” typeface and silver edging Greene King said gave the brand “a modern twist”. 

Meanwhile it has introduced new 335ml bottles it said would “tap into the refrigerated convenience market”.

Greene King “introduced the new branding to reflect this giving it a fresher, cleaner and more contemporary look”, said brewing & brands MD Matt Starbuck.

The rebrand will be backed by “extensive” advertising featuring the brand’s Henry the fox character, said Greene King, spanning outdoor, digital and sampling. 

It comes as traditional bottled ales have faced a battle to stay relevant over past years thanks to retailer range rationalisation and the rise of insurgent craft beer brands. As of this spring, Old Speckled Hen’s sales were down £2.6m (4.4%) to £56.7m [Nielsen 52 w/e 20 April 2019]. 

Read more: how can ale survive the craft beer onslaught?