Guinness set for £4m celebration

"It's Got to be Guinness" is the message that the famous stout brand will be spending £4million in the run-up to St Patrick's Day.

The way has been left clear for Guinness on March 17 with rival brewers Scottish Courage and Whitbread choosing not to undertake any St Patrick's Day activity for their stout brands.

An extra two million pints of Guinness were served in the UK around the March 1999 St Patrick's Day celebrations, with subsequent research showing that the activity drove customers into pubs, helping licensees enjoy a busy and profitable night.

This year Guinness GB claims to be holding the biggest-ever consumer sampling promotion undertaken in one day, with 200 towns and cities involved.

The sampling will be backed by a poster advertising campaign that shows Guinness served in a variety of different drink vessels, including shot glasses, coffee cups and champagne flutes.

Point-of-sale material is to be distributed to 12,000 pubs and bars, with the fact that St Patrick's Day itself is a Friday leading to predictions of another bumper year.

"It's Got to be Guinness is the clear focus for this year's activity," said customer marketing controller Charles Ireland. "Guinness is synonymous with St Patrick's Day and as such always provides us with a terrific opportunity to welcome people into the Guinness family.

Ireland added: "It is vital that we build on St Patrick's Day and continue to encourage people to session-drink Guinness on all future upbeat occasions."Guinness looks set for a St Patrick's Day victory over rivals Beamish and Murphy's.

Whitbread Beer Company is continuing its heavyweight support of Murphy's this year, using the raunchy Sisters of Murphy's campaign aimed at young men, but there will be no specific St Patrick's Day activity.

A spokeswoman for Scottish Courage said there would be no Beamish promotion on March 17.

Leading Irish whiskey brand Jameson will be holding sampling sessions and the chance to win inflatable chairs.