Beer bellies out as low-carb selling point

Speights hopes the Traverse brand will increase the market share for low-carb beers.

Speights is topping up the market for "healthier" beers but is barred from using the unhealthy Kiwi beer gut to sell its new low-carb brand, Traverse.

One of the potential benefits of low-carb beer - restricting weight gain - might be an attractive selling point.

But Lion Nathan marketing manager for mainstream and craft beer Sean O'Donnell said promoting health benefits was banned by the advertising code for alcohol.

Speights is best known in New Zealand for its blokey "Southern Man" commercials.

The Traverse campaign actively aims at males in the low-carb market, which is focused on women and dominated here by Carlton's Pure Blonde.

The Traverse campaign by Lion Nathan ad agency Publicis-Mojo features wildlife and is set in South Africa.

"The idea is men like to think they look after themselves," said a company spokesman.

"In the new commercials they are removed from their comfort zone, the bar, and have to fend for themselves with a hungry lion running after them."

Speights hopes Traverse will increase the market share for low-carb beers. O'Donnell said they represented only 3.4 per cent of the New Zealand market compared with 50 per cent in the United States. He saw potential for growth, especially in the 28-45 age group.

"Health-conscious males want to have a beer but they want to feel better about it."

Traverse was launched in November but the ad campaign was delayed from before Christmas until the start of the working year when there would be more word-of-mouth promotion.