Foster’s, the most popular classic lager in the UK, is to be the Official Lager of England Cricket having signed a two-year deal with the England and Wales Cricket Board. The partnership sees Foster’s return to sports sponsorship for the first time in a decade.
The major new sponsorship deal will be supported by a nationwide campaign appealing to cricket fans across the country throughout the summer. The two year deal includes all international T20 matches, One Day Internationals and International Test Matches. These include this summer’s home international series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan and next season’s tours by West Indies and South Africa.
The ECB logo will be included on all Foster’s packaging later in the year, and the beer will be activated in trade from 11th July to the end of August. In addition, there will be bespoke activations happening at selected cricket grounds throughout June, July and August – with further details to be revealed later this year.
David Forde, MD of Foster’s owners HEINEKEN, says: “We’re thrilled to team up with England Cricket. It’s been a decade since we last sponsored the sport in the UK and what a time to start again! England are playing superbly and the popularity of all forms of international cricket is soaring. Cricket has one of the widest fan bases of any sport and Foster’s is one of the best-selling lagers in the country – it’s a winning combination for our customers, consumers and us.”
Foster’s will be developing mechanics to drive rate of sale and footfall for the trade, giving consumers the chance to win fantastic prizes.
SPORTS at SMG scoped, negotiated and closed the deal on Foster’s behalf and is now working hard to bring the very best out of those rights through activation and amplification. UK Managing Director, Ben Cronin said, “Watching England cricket has always been a fun thing to do with your mates, but the positive style this current England team is displaying is a great demonstration of how life can be a bit more enjoyable when you give it a crack. With Foster’s being the lager of “can-do” this is a great time for the brand to showcase that attitude with national scale.”
–ENDS–
For further press information, please contact:
The HEINEKEN team on 020 3757 6800 / heineken@publicasity.co.uk
Ben Cronin, UK Managing Director, SPORTS at SMG ben.cronin@sportsatsmg.com
Notes to Editors
About HEINEKEN in the UK
Headquartered in Edinburgh, HEINEKEN employs around 2,000 people. In addition to being Britain’s leading cider and beer business, HEINEKEN owns around 1,250 pubs through its Star Pubs & Bars business. We are passionate about our cider and beer brands and the outstanding service that we offer to our customers. Our unrivalled portfolio of brands includes Foster’s, Heineken®, Strongbow, Desperados, Kronenbourg1664, John Smith’s and Bulmers backed by a full range of niche and speciality brands.
About Foster’s
For more information about Foster’s, please visit www.fosters.co.uk, follow @FostersUK or like at https://www.facebook.com/fosters
