Down at the Social (DATS), has been appointed by Manchester’s oldest brewery, JW Lees, to relaunch one of the North’s most loved beers – Boddingtons, the Cream of Manchester, on cask.
The campaign, proudly headlined “By ’Eck It’s Back,” saw Boddingtons, a giant of the nineties beer world that was championed in a cult series of iconic ads featuring model and professional Mancunian Melanie Sykes back in the day, before being discontinued in 2012, return to cask last month, and sell out at multiple venues across Manchester on day one.
DATS is working with agency Squad and the in-house marketing team on PR, social media, events and OOH, creating a campaign that combines nostalgia with Northern swagger to engage old and new beer drinkers alike.
Launch highlights so far have included:
- A tasting at the JW Lees brewery for CAMRA and beer trade media
- William Lees-Jones, MD at JW Lees, pulling the very first pint at Founders Hall in Manchester city centre, witnessed by regional and national media
- A city-wide OOH takeover that turned Manchester yellow, designed by Dave Barraclough at Squad
The campaign generated such momentum that even Mayor Andy Burnham and the Japanese Ambassador enjoyed a pint and immediately went viral.
Daisy Whitehouse, MD at DATS, said: “By ’Eck – this really is a dream project for us. JW Lees has always been a dream client of mine – I even messaged William a while back to tell him that directly. He remembered that conversation when he was hatching his plan for Boddingtons, and brought us in as their PR and social partner. To be trusted with such an iconic Northern brand is incredible, and the response has been overwhelming.”
William Lees-Jones, managing director at JW Lees, added: “We knew the return of Boddingtons had to be big, bold and full of Northern character. Working with DATS has so far given the brand the launch it deserves – the public reaction speaks for itself. It is a proud moment for the business.”
The campaign continues in Manchester this month with further events, including two launch parties and 1,000 free pints up for grabs to celebrate the return of the Cream of Manchester.
DATS specialises in content-led, PR-first campaigns for newsworthy brands across lifestyle, wellness, hospitality, and consumer sectors. Clients include Pop Specs, Chopstix Noodle Bars, Kakira Cane Spirits, Dandara Living.
