E-Malt.com News article: 4305

United Kingdom: SABMiller announced on February 24 the appointment of Mother as lead creative agency for its international premium brand, Miller Genuine Draft. Mother will develop a global marketing campaign for Miller Genuine Draft in its markets outside of North America, which include Russia, South Africa, Italy and Poland. The new Mother campaign will replace the long standing ‘Miller Time’ strap-line and will have access to a global marketing budget of approximately £35 million. The first creative will be produced by June 2004 and will launch in a number of markets within the next 12 months.

Charlie Hiscocks, SABMiller’s Global Brand Communications Director, commented: “The toughest job in global marketing is finding a big idea that can work across all markets, in all media. Miller Genuine Draft is a brand with a great story to tell and with Mother’s help we are now in a position to do that.”

Miller Genuine Draft is one of the top selling premium regular beers in the US. In the three years between 2001 and 2004 it grew at a compound rate of 31% in SABMiller’s European markets. In the financial year to March 2004 it grew volumes by over 90% in Russia alone.

SABMiller plc is one of the world’s largest brewers, with 2003/04 lager sales volumes in excess of 137 million hectolitres. It has a brewing presence in over 40 countries across four continents and a portfolio of strong brands and leading market shares in many of the countries in which it has brewing operations. Outside the USA, SABMiller plc is one of the largest bottlers of Coca-Cola products in the world. In the year ended 31 March 2004, the group generated US$1,391 million pre-tax profit from a turnover of US$12,645 million. SABMiller plc is listed on the London and Johannesburg stock exchanges.

Since its launch in December 1996, Mother is now acknowledged as one of the most creative advertising agencies in the world. Mother has won many accolades in its short life, being ranked the UK’s most creative advertising agency by clients in Marketing Week’s annual agency reviews of 2003 and 2004, and winning Creative Review’s Peer Poll vote, also in 2003 and 2004. Mother was also awarded Campaign magazine’s Agency of the Year in both 2001 and 2002. Mother’s portfolio of both local and international clients includes: Amnesty International, Boots, Coca-Cola, Diageo, Gizmondo, Miller, Orange and Selfridges.


26 February, 2005