Despite pressure to cut prices, Morrison Bowmore is maintaining its level of support behind Bowmore its flagship Islay malt. UK sales and marketing director Steve Webb said: "We have stuck to our three year strategy of investment. "We advertised the brand for the first time in 1998, continued last year and will continue this. "We will be spending £300,000, mostly in December." He said this went against the current climate which has seen whisky advertising cut back from £4m to £1m. He said this was a consequence of downward price pressure. "The image building funds were pulled from above the line and put into prices." The company has the backing of its Japanese parent Suntory, which has created a new international organisation to handle the global sales and marketing of its European brands. Suntory Alliance Brands has been created out of the international operations of Morrison Bowmore and Louis Royer Cognac. These have operated under the vehicle of Alliance International Brands. The business will also handle the international interests of G and J Greenall. The company is led by chairman Jim Forbes who will be replaced by Mike Keiller when he retires this year. Managing director is Kenneth MacKay. The UK distribution company continues to trade as Morrison Bowmore and is led by sales and marketing director Steve Webb. {{DRINKS }}