Strongbow® Hard Apple Ciders Partners With Sir Patrick Stewart For Second Year, Showcasing Its Award-Winning Flavors

Strongbow® Hard Apple Ciders Partners With Sir Patrick Stewart For Second Year, Showcasing Its Award-Winning Flavors

The World's Number One Cider Launches TV Commercials Celebrating Its "Impressive Range"

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Feb. 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Strongbow Hard Apple Ciders, the number one selling global cider brand(1 )and best tasting hard cider at the 2015 World Beer Championships(2), announced the launch of its latest television commercial campaign starring legendary actor Sir Patrick Stewart. The humorous new commercials will showcase Strongbow's award-winning range of flavors by poking fun at Sir Patrick Stewart's impressive acting range. The ads follow the brand's highly successful 2015 "All You Need Is Ice" campaign, which highlighted how Strongbow over ice is the "bestest" cider, to a point that a celebrity of the Sir Patrick's caliber is not required to get consumers to try it.

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Strongbow's new 2016 "Impressive Range" campaign includes multiple new spots, the first of which debuts digitally today on the brand's YouTube page and will begin airing on TV nationally March 7(th). The launch will be supported through a mix of traditional and paid media, digital, PR and experiential marketing with the remaining spots launching later this summer. The first spot can be viewed here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZ-cTs-u-Kg&feature=youtu.be

"I am delighted to be working with Strongbow for a second year, this time showcasing the brand's impressive range of crisp and refreshing flavors," said Sir Patrick Stewart. "I have always enjoyed Strongbow Hard Cider, and was drawn to this campaign in particular because of its lighthearted humor and how it provides me with an opportunity to poke a bit of fun at myself."

"Working again with Sir Patrick Stewart in our new Strongbow campaign is very exciting! This has been a fantastic creative collaboration, as we tell the story of our impressive range of flavors through his impressive acting range," said Alejandra de Obeso, Brand Director Strongbow, HEINEKEN USA. "Sir Patrick has an amazing sense of humor and -just like Strongbow- he doesn't take himself too seriously. He has embraced how fun and approachable our product is, while also showing a side of his personality that people may not have seen before."

The witty campaign was created with Strongbow's agency partner Droga5.

Currently the fastest growing hard cider in the U.S. in total sales, Strongbow has been recognized as the Best Tasting Hard Cider for two years in a row at the 2015 World Cider Championships, with each of its four flavors winning individual awards. Over the past year, Strongbow has tripled its market share in the off-premise, outperforming the cider category growth eight times over.( 3)

Strongbow's impressive range of flavors includes Strongbow Gold Apple, Strongbow Honey, Strongbow Ginger and Strongbow Red Berries, all available in a Variety Pack, which includes three bottles of each flavor and is sold nationally year-round. The brand will be revealing a new and highly-anticipated flavor launching in March 2016, which might be the most unique flavor innovation to date.

To find all four Strongbow flavors near you, please visit our product locator at www.Strongbow.com. We recommend enjoying our hard apple ciders served over ice, for a crisp, refreshing taste.

(1)Based on 2014 global sales volume of largest single cider brands from Canadean Research, Inc.
(2)2015 Highest rated common cider at the World Cider Championships, Gold Medal Winner, by Tastings.com
(3)FDCM+ and Grocery, Nielsen. Latest 52 Weeks, ending 01/02/2016.



About HEINEKEN USA
HEINEKEN USA Inc., the nation's leading upscale beer importer, is a subsidiary of Heineken International BV, the world's most international brewer. European brands imported into the U.S. include Heineken, the world's most international beer brand, Strongbow Hard Apple Ciders, Desperados, Amstel Light, and Newcastle Brown Ale. HEINEKEN USA also imports the Dos Equis Franchise, Tecate Franchise, Sol, Indio, Carta Blanca and Bohemia brands from Mexico. For the latest information on our company and brands, follow us on Twitter @HeinekenUSACorp, or visit HEINEKENUSA.com



Contact:
Jaclyn Printz
Edelman Public Relations
212-704-4434
Jaclyn.Printz@edelman.com

Amy Palladino
HEINEKEN USA
(914) 681-4113
APalladino@heinekenusa.com

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SOURCE HEINEKEN USA

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HEINEKEN USA

Web Site: http://www.HEINEKENUSA.com


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