UK: Diageo hangs fire on Guinness Red roll-out

Diageo is looking to continue to trial its Guinness Red beer brand in the UK, but has no current time-scale for a wider roll-out.

The company, which extended its trial of Guinness Red across the central regions of England in September 2007, is waiting on a stronger indication of "trial and repeat" for the brand from UK consumers, Syl Saller, Diageo's global innovations director, told just-drinks late last week.

"(Guinness Red) is doing good," Saller said, "but it's a slow build. That's one where we are staying in test.

"The rate of sale has been entirely satisfactory," she continued. "As we continue to roll out to different pubs, we want to make sure that it works in the big pubs, where you get the through-put to sustain an attractive rate of sale, and in smaller pubs. I want to see longevity and the trial and repeat.

"We're asking the publican to put in an additional Guinness font, and if I'm going to ask for that kind of bar space, I want to know that we're going to have that kind of support."

When asked if the company was looking beyond the UK for markets in which the Guinness brand extension would be successful, Saller said: "We don't see another market that it's as right for. Ireland, maybe, but North America? I'd say no.

"We're really going after people who'd only drink Guinness on St Patrick's Day, who find the taste too challenging. Guinness Red is that little bit sweeter."

In October last year, Diageo launched an advertising campaign for Guinness red in the trial areas. That campaign will continue throughout 2009, Diageo confirmed last month.