HEINEKEN UK rolls out spooky Strongbow campaign this October

The Spine-chilling Refreshment campaign will focus on Strongbow Dark Fruit and help operators maximise Cider sales in the build-up to Halloween.

Rachel Holms, Cider Brand Director at HEINEKEN UK, tells Bar Magazine all about it.

There is a perception that Cider is primarily a summer drink, but what is its value during occasions such as Halloween?

“While it’s true that Cider is synonymous with the summer months, pub gardens, and warmer weather, when category sales peak, there is also huge opportunity for operators to drive sales even as we approach the colder months.

“Worth £2bn in value sales and continuing to grow[1], the Cider category is incredibly important in the UK On-Trade. Despite there being room for growth outside of summer, the category performs well all-year round and Halloween represents a key trading period. Strongbow Dark Fruit, for example, sees an uplift in sales in the lead-up to Halloween.

“This October, we are launching a brand-new campaign for Strongbow – ‘Spine-chilling Refreshment’ – to boost visibility and reinforce the brand’s connection to spooky season.”

How does Strongbow perform in pubs and bars during Halloween?

“Across the Cider category, Strongbow continues to lead the way, claiming almost a 20% share of volumes sold over the past 12 months[2].

In the weeks leading up to Halloween last year, Strongbow Original was the On-Trade’s largest Draught Cider, and our Strongbow Dark Fruit variant sold the most from a flavoured perspective[3].”

What will the campaign achieve?

“We are aiming to reaffirm consumers’ affinity with the brand, with multiple high-impact activations designed to maximise its visibility and drive footfall to pubs and bars over the next few weeks.”

What are you doing to promote the campaign, and how can venues get involved?

“We are rolling out social media promotions, influencer partnerships, and D2C e-mail marketing campaigns with the ‘Spine-chilling Refreshment’ messaging.

For us, it’s all about making the Strongbow brand show up where it has a right to play, adding tangible value to the On-Trade. Operators should feel encouraged to get involved and have fun this Halloween, by hosting themed events and extending operating hours to boost customer engagement and drive incremental sales. With Halloween falling on a Friday this year, venues can maximise footfall and sales by featuring Strongbow Dark Fruit in themed events like apple bobbing and costume parties.

Operators across the UK will have access to ‘Spine-chilling Refreshment’ PoS kits – including posters, window vinyls, tent cards, bunting and tap hangers – via HEINEKEN’s eazle® platform. The kits aim to help operators transform their venue into a fully immersive Halloween experience – simple to install, and at no additional cost.

We are also launching an exciting partnership with Greene King. Throughout October, the partnership will see Strongbow give away up to 10,000 free pints to Greene King customers, where guests can scan the QR code in-venue or on social ads to receive an instant digital voucher, allowing them to cash in a free pint in participating Greene King sites.”

Operators can find out more about how to maximise their Cider sales at Halloween by visiting HEINEKEN UK’s eazle® Campaigns platform at:
👉 https://www.campaigns.eazle.co.uk/

[1] CGA by NIQ GB Value Sales MAT TY to 12.07.25

[2] CGA by NIQ GB Volume Sales MAT TY to 12.07.25

[3] CGA by NIQ GB Value Sales 4 weeks to 02.11.24