BREWERS OF ONTARIO INTRODUCES FIRST TV COMMERCIALS
By Adnews Staff
Brewers of Ontario launched its first ever TV campaign this week for its beer stores. The company is doing so because it wants to broaden its audience and its message, executive director Jan Westcott told Adnews yesterday. In the past, Brewers of Ontario has just used in-store materials and promotion. The three commercials feature John Ratzenberger and George Wendt from the TV sitcom Cheers. One spot was filmed in Sudbury, Ont., where George Wendt learns about the company's Minors Challenge program. The spot says that 120,000 under-aged or intoxicated patrons were refused service at The Beer Store last year. In the second spot, John Ratzenberger talks about the Ontario industry's 98.6% recovery rate on its packaging and its commitment to refillable containers. The last ad has the duo walking through the beer store extolling the fact that The Beer Store carries about 134 brands of beer from over 30 different brewers from around the world. The $2 million campaign was created by Bensimon*Byrne of Toronto. The ads will run for four weeks, then be relaunched during the NHL playoffs. Collateral materials were also created for company employees.