Flatmates getting back on the lager

By DITA DE BONI

An appeal to the hedonism of flatting days and a beer-fuelled "call to action" are the concepts behind DB Breweries' new campaign for its top lager product, Export Gold.

DB will reveal the third part in its present advertising campaign for the beer this weekend. The new commercial will meld the campaign's established theme - a house full of flatties who will only drink Export - with last year's popular sci-fi thriller movie The Matrix.

DB claims to have the most popular mainstream beer, based on a weekly survey of 500 drinkers by Colmar Brunton. The company credits its "Flatmates" campaign from Meares Taine as largely responsible for the product's higher brand profile.

Under pressure from imported and boutique beers, the mainstream category - including rival Lion Breweries' Lion Red - makes up 66 per cent of all beer drunk in New Zealand.

Mainstream category manager Mark Jenner said Export Gold was the "main attack weapon" against Lion Red and the current campaign would continue to move the brand forward.

Saying only that the advertisement cost "less than the movie [The Matrix] to make," Mr Jenner said the new, more ethereal approach to beer advertising was designed to target both men and women.