Molson is trying to inject some life into flat beer sales with the Quebec launch of Molson M this week.
Developed at Molson’s Montreal brewery, Molson M is brewed using a “micro-carbonization process” which involves injecting the beer with CO2 through “smaller, finer bubbles.”
“The injection of smaller CO2 bubbles makes it possible to preserve not only the taste of the hops but also the delicate flavours generated by the yeast during fermentation,” explained Karine Brunelle, brewer with Molson Coors.
Molson said packaging for the new beer was developed to convey a “more sophisticated image” and a comprehensive marketing plan using TV, social media and billboards is rolling out across Quebec this week. Molson intends to start moving the brand into other provinces with full national distribution by 2011.
A teaser site promoting the new brew is live at MolsonM.com, showing a short video and links to a Molson M Facebook page. Nolin BBDO is handing the advertising and created the website.
The brewer also recently launched low-calorie Molson Canadian 67 and Rickard’s Dark, part of its effort to “attract people we haven’t before,” Molson Canada CEO Dave Perkins told the Wall Street Journal this week.
The Journal pointed out that Molson has been losing market share to small regional players and discount brands.
“I’m certainly not satisfied with where I see the top line,” Perkins told the Journal.
Earlier this month, Molson reported Canadian sales to retail decreased by 3.2% in the third quarter, well above the 0.7% decrease faced by the industry as a whole, and pretax income was down 7.7% to $139.3 million.
Molson has also been working on a new advertising campaign for its flagship Canadian brand, which Perkins said has “wandered some over the years.”
Citing research from Euromonitor International, the Journal reported Molson Canadian’s share of the Canadian beer market fell to 7.2% this year from 9.2% in 2005.
