Rosie Davenport
Bacardi-Martini is launching a ready-to-drink spritzer with an initial £2.4m marketing investment.
The national roll-out of Coomira Coast follows an eight-week trial earlier this year.
It is the drinks company's first significant piece of new product development since Bacardi Breezer hit shelves in 1994.
The brand, which is a mix of New World Chardonnay, sparkling water and berry flavours, will be available from August, beating rival spritzer products, Slinky from Blue Nun and Scottish Courage Brands' Bliss, to market.
The 5% abv drink is designed to appeal to female consumers who have outgrown mainstream RTD brands and regular wine drinkers looking for a "fruitier" alternative.
Jane Callard, senior trade marketing manager for Bacardi-Martini, said: "It's aimed at an older set of women than Bacardi Breezer, which has been out for nine years.
"Our research identified that there was a need in the market to bridge the gap between wine and RTDs. Although spritzers are not new, they are seen as more upmarket and sophisticated than RTDs and the fruit flavour offers something different."
She added that the drink would be merchandised in the RTD fixture in the multiples, where it has already gained listings.
Introductory price promotions of 99p on single-serve 275ml bottles and £2.99 for 70cl compared to the normal rsps of £1.39 and £3.69 are also planned.
Further marketing support will be through ads in women's magazines and sponsorship of events targeting females.
A follow-up TV campaign has not been ruled out.
Californian Chardonnay will initially be used in the mix, but Callard said future blends could use Chardonnay from other countries, such as Chile, and still maintain a consistent taste.
Plans to develop the brand first started in 2000.
The Coomira Coast name was chosen to "communicate the brand's wine cues", Callard added.
The decision to seal the drink with a screwcap answers calls from buyers to extend the RTD category beyond session drinking into a "more indulgent occasion".
Bacardi-Martini said that, in the on-trade, the screwcap closure would also help protect consumers from having their drinks spiked.
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Bacardi-Martini is launching a ready-to-drink spritzer with an initial £2.4m marketing investment.
The national roll-out of Coomira Coast follows an eight-week trial earlier this year.
It is the drinks company's first significant piece of new product development since Bacardi Breezer hit shelves in 1994.
The brand, which is a mix of New World Chardonnay, sparkling water and berry flavours, will be available from August, beating rival spritzer products, Slinky from Blue Nun and Scottish Courage Brands' Bliss, to market.
The 5% abv drink is designed to appeal to female consumers who have outgrown mainstream RTD brands and regular wine drinkers looking for a "fruitier" alternative.
Jane Callard, senior trade marketing manager for Bacardi-Martini, said: "It's aimed at an older set of women than Bacardi Breezer, which has been out for nine years.
"Our research identified that there was a need in the market to bridge the gap between wine and RTDs. Although spritzers are not new, they are seen as more upmarket and sophisticated than RTDs and the fruit flavour offers something different."
She added that the drink would be merchandised in the RTD fixture in the multiples, where it has already gained listings.
Introductory price promotions of 99p on single-serve 275ml bottles and £2.99 for 70cl compared to the normal rsps of £1.39 and £3.69 are also planned.
Further marketing support will be through ads in women's magazines and sponsorship of events targeting females.
A follow-up TV campaign has not been ruled out.
Californian Chardonnay will initially be used in the mix, but Callard said future blends could use Chardonnay from other countries, such as Chile, and still maintain a consistent taste.
Plans to develop the brand first started in 2000.
The Coomira Coast name was chosen to "communicate the brand's wine cues", Callard added.
The decision to seal the drink with a screwcap answers calls from buyers to extend the RTD category beyond session drinking into a "more indulgent occasion".
Bacardi-Martini said that, in the on-trade, the screwcap closure would also help protect consumers from having their drinks spiked.
{{MARKETING }}
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