Teacher’s Targets ‘Grumpy Old Men’

Teacher’s Scotch whisky is adopting a somewhat provocative approach in its new £1.5 million marketing programme.

Targeting traditional whisky drinkers – men aged 50-plus (anyone remember them?) – the campaign uses forthright and unpretentious language to parody various promotional tools such as buy one, get one free and free prize draws.

 “Research strongly suggests that mature whisky drinkers, and in particular Teacher’s drinkers, are scornful, almost cynical, of many of these gimmicks,” says Nick Marshall, Teacher’s senior brand manager. “Our campaign taps into this thinking and allows us to communicate the high quality and traditional values of Teacher’s in a straightforward, honest manner.”

Selling 600,000 cases annually, Teacher’s is embarking on the campaign to reinforce its position among the UK’s 12.5 million whisky drinkers.

This latest marketing initiative is part of the brand’s 175th anniversary celebrations and marks a return to national press advertising. The Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday and The Sunday Telegraph will feature in the campaign which will run through to December.

Also part of the anniversary celebrations, Teacher’s has commissioned respected whisky writer Helen Arthur to produce a commemorative book called The Teacher’s Tale: 175 years through the eyes of WM Teacher.