MOLSON BRINGS TORNADO WEST, DENIES PLANS TO CLOSE UP SHOP
By Adnews Staff
Molson Breweries of Toronto is introducing a new alcoholic lemonade to the Ontario market just in time for consumers to beat the summer heat. Tornado has become Molson's national brand of alcoholic lemonade. First introduced in Quebec last year, this summer Tornado is touching down in Ontario as well as the Western provinces. The 6.1 percent alcohol-by-volume beverage is being supported with a television and print advertising campaign. Promotions and sampling at bars and special events across Ontario will also support the launch of the new beverage. Television spots are scheduled to run throughout the summer. Advertising for Tornado is done by Cossette Communications of Montreal. PR for Molson is handled by Thornley Fallis Communications of Toronto.
In other Molson news, Dave Perkins, president, Ontario/Atlantic Region of Molson Canada, responded yesterday to recent media reports that the company was closing a brewery in either Barrie or Etobicoke, Ontario. Perkins explained the current situation was a surplus capacity at the Ontario breweries and the company was looking at a number of different scenarios to make use of the capacity. "Our first choice is to increase our market share so we can increase brewing beer. Closing a brewery is not our first choice, nor is it our only option," he said. Molson also announced that a study of the current business situation will be done. The study will be completed between the end of the calendar year, December 31, 1999, and the end of the fiscal year, March 31, 2000.