From splitting the G to the Premier League – Diageo on embracing the Guinness craze

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.

• Ad of the Day: Guinness rolls out global campaign to mark Premier League sponsorship

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.”

What’s behind Guinness’ £40m Premier League deal?

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.”