The UK is gripped with Guinness fever. If you’ve walked down London’s Soho lately, you will likely have seen hundreds of people spilling out of The Devonshire pub, all with a pint of the black stuff in hand. This isn’t by accident, though. The Diageo-owned stout has adapted its marketing strategy to lean into the Guinness trend playing out organically on social media.
According to YouGov data collected last month, Guinness beats all other beer brands on quality, likability and satisfaction, ahead of second-place Peroni and San Miguel, which is number three. Since January 2022, Guinness customer scores have jumped 5 points from 5.9 to 11.9.
This is reflected in Diageo’s recent earnings, with sales of the stout brand in the UK essentially propping up the global drinks conglomerate. While Diageo’s half-year results showed global sales declined for the first time since the Covid pandemic, Guinness bucked the trend with sales increasing by 5% in the UK.
One reason behind Guinness’s growth, according to Diageo chief executive officer Deborah Crew, is down to a broadening of Guinness drinkers. “We still have the classic rugby lads, but we are also bringing in more women into the franchise,” she says during its latest earnings call. Also, from a marketing perspective, “the brand has done some really great social media,” she said.
“We’ve let consumers take over some of the conversation about where’s the best pint poured, which people really get into this, so that has been really great.”
Somnath Dasgupta, Guinness’s global marketing director for sports partnerships, built on what his chief exec said, crediting the brand’s “transformational” marketing approach for its sales uplift. By engaging with Instagram accounts such as @real_housewives_of_clapton and @shitlondonguinness and by reigniting the challenge of drinking till you hit the G on its glasses, Guinness has become part of the cultural zeitgeist.
These ‘Guinnfluencers,’ as the brand has been calling them, have helped Guinness shift its old-man reputation. According to the brand, consumption is up 24% among women while its demographic is getting younger. YouGov’s data shows Guinness drinkers are more likely to be aged 18-34 than beer drinkers in general (26% versus 20%) while its popularity score in this age bracket has grown by 10 points since January 2022 (up from 6.3 to 16.3).
“We’ve embraced community-first marketing – a model that is much more open to having a two-way dialogue with customers,” says Dasgupta. Multiple cultural partnerships with new drinkers are helping to “engage in a deeper level with consumers every day,” he adds. “There has been a brand moment where we’ve opened ourselves up for a much deeper conversation with customers.”
Guinness’s first set of Premier League commercials, which launched today (August 16), nods to this “community-first” marketing approach. Created by AMV BBDO, each one tells the story of a grassroots team with plot lines informed by real community insights. Dasgupta teases that in future phases of sponsorship marketing, there will be “bigger and deeper” conversations about football and community.
Keen not to just toot his own team’s horn, Dasgupta says innovation is the driving factor behind the brand’s popularity. Guinness 0.0, for example, is a “huge success story,” with sales having doubled in a year. Then there are developments such as the Nitro Surge, which helps people have nicer pints at home, and Micro Draft, which helps bartenders pour better pub pints.
Then, outside of Guinness’s control, consumer drinking trends have played into its hands. Not only are people drinking more alcohol-free alternatives, but people are getting more adventurous with their beer, moving beyond larger. “There is consumer momentum that suits our brand. Guinness plays at the sweet spot on people’s journeys to explore more characterful in what they drink.”
The momentum behind Guinness is what emboldened it to take on a £40m sponsorship of the Premier League, replacing Budweiser. “Our brand scores are on an upward trajectory in several markets in the world, so it’s just about the right time to expand the way it plays in sport; the opportunity arose and we felt it was the time we wanted to go in,” says Dasgupta.
The English Premier League is the number one league in the world, broadcast in 189 countries to 2 billion people in 900m households. “The scale it provides for us is massive.” The deal is Guinness’s first ever global platform. The primary objective, Dasgupta says, is simply reach.
“Behind this is the expansion of the consumer cohort, which is what we are after, which is why this is such a big deal for us. If there’s one thing we are after, it is that the association of Guinness with football strengthens and we get into the repertoire of a far wider cohort of drinkers across the world.”
For £40m, the potential return on Guinness’s investment across four years could be significant. YouGov data shows that 49% of Guinness drinkers say the Premier League is one of their top interests, 16% higher than Budweiser drinkers when asked the same question.
Although Guinness looks set to gain from the deal, it is a “huge bet,” admits Dasgupta. “It took a high degree of leadership commitment and bravery.” Giving the inside scoop, he says Diageo signed up for the significant investment in the Premier League over a 24-hour business case development and sign-off. “It was a really quick show of belief and confidence and that sets the tone once you have the commitment from the leaders to say let’s go and do it.”
It was then a four-month turnaround to launch today (August 16), requiring global and local to work as one team. “The complexity of creating assets with different regulations, different nuances, across 100 different markets, and doing that within four months is no mean task.”
The first Premier League campaigns have been released by Guinness to coincide with the return of the Premier League season, but Dasgupta stresses that this is only phase one of a four-year journey. “This thing will evolve, so over the next six to 12 months, you will see how we transform the way Guinness participates in sport by bringing to life the same principles.”
To celebrate the launch of Guinness’ partnership with the Premier League, Diageo.com sat down with Stephen O’Kelly, Guinness Global Brand Director, to discuss the brand’s biggest ever global campaign with the world’s most popular league.
Stephen, this is an incredibly excitement moment for Guinness. Why did Guinness decide to make the Premier League its first-ever global sport partnership?
Great partnerships go beyond visibility and sales. They transcend geographies, languages and communities to bring people together.
The Premier League is more than football, it’s a global occasion. Watched in over 180 countries and enjoyed by millions all year-round. The essence of Guinness truly comes alive in sport, and for the past century we have used the positive forces of sport to build our brand globally.
Can you describe the level of scale that the Premier League provides Guinness?
When you imagine the possibilities of a partnership between the world’s most popular league and the world’s most distinctive beer, who are both enjoyed by millions of people all over the world, it really is magic.
The Premier League is broadcast in 189 countries to 920m homes, with an estimated 2.1bn viewers around the world. This partnership opens the doors for Guinness to connect with new consumers around the world.
The team has been hugely busy in preparation for kick-off. Can you tell us what we can expect for the launch?
It’s been a monumental team effort. We are making our Premier League debut with our biggest-ever global campaign that showcases the vibrant connections between fans of the beautiful game, and the beautiful beer. It consists of four new TV ads, global out-of-home advertising, Lovely Game for a Guinness creative in pubs and retail outlets, and a special fleet of 20 tankers ‘wearing’ Premier League kits to deliver Guinness and Guinness 0.0 to pubs ahead of the opening weekend and beyond. We were delighted to work with record Premier League goalscorer and former England captain Alan Shearer on this activity (see picture below) and many might have seen him on our advertising ahead of the opening weekend. We’ve really pushed ourselves and this is just the start – watch this space!
Guinness is a global brand synonymous with story-telling. What is the idea behind the campaign?
To stand out we knew we had to do something different, and uniquely Guinness. Pelé popularised and embodied the idea of football as “jogo bonito” or “the beautiful game”. Not only did this refer to the skill, speed and imagination of certain players, but also the passion it ignites from all walks of life.
Inspired by this we created an exciting collection of four global fan stories, which travel beyond the expected geographies of the Premier League to land our global perspective on the relationship between two global icons with local heartbeats. With matches played, games watched, and pints of Guinness and Guinness 0.0 enjoyed together, everyone is united.
The stories take us from the remote Outer Hebrides, to a Nigerian viewing centre, via a rooftop in Seoul. No matter where you are in the world, our campaign celebrates the magic of Guinness and the Premier League together, illuminating the shared sense of belonging that’s just as strong in a Premier League stadium as it is in a Korean after-hours bar.
As well as being the Official Beer of the Premier League, Guinness 0.0 is also the Official Non-Alcoholic Beer of the Premier League. What can this partnership do for the growth of 0.0 around the world?
I’m particularly excited about the opportunity for the Premier League to help lay the foundations for the global roll out of Guinness 0.0. Our campaign launch marks an exciting time for Guinness 0.0, which is now the number one selling off-trade non-alcohol brand in Great Britain and has just doubled its sales in Europe.
As the Official Non-Alcoholic Beer of the Premier League and Official Responsible Drinking Partner of the Premier League, we’ll be finding opportunities both in-ground and on broadcast to encourage responsible drinking throughout the football season.
Our debut Premier League TV ad for Great Britain & Ireland, Eriskay, celebrates how the love of the game and beautiful pints of Guinness 0.0 brings a football community together in the Outer Hebrides in Scotland, where 10% of the population play for the only team on the island. We are committed to opening up new, creative ways to promote and encourage moderation.
You have worked on some of Diageo’s most impactful marketing and partnerships campaigns over the years – where does this rank?
Very highly! This is a very exciting moment in the enduring story of our beautiful beer, and to continue the legacy and spirit of Arthur Guinness is something I’m really excited about.
It’s been a real career highlight to see a project of this magnitude develop from an inception to launch. Seeing the creativity, strategy and human connection come together, working alongside some of the brightest minds in marketing, within Diageo, with The Premier League and our agency partners has been a real privilege. I hope we have all gained from our experience in turning this from conversation into reality – I know that I certainly have!
These opening games, months and our first season as a Premier League partner is very exciting for everyone in Diageo. But what are the long-term aims for this partnership? How do you see it evolving?
This is just the start of what I believe will be a transformational relationship for the brand with the Premier League. We have this story, this energy, and unique way of looking at things that we've been nurturing for over 260 years, and this is just the next bold chapter in beautiful Guinness, travelling everywhere.
The brand is experiencing unprecedented cultural momentum, and right now, with this partnership, we get to create even more magical moments and connections with our consumers and passionate football fans on a global scale. We're putting our heart and soul out there and it's incredibly exciting.
