Watch: Hattingley Valley partners with Sky for TV ad campaign

Hampshire-based winery Hattingley Valley has launched its first TV advertising campaign with Sky.

The 30 second commercial, which the brand has called “C’est Anglais”, features three French connoisseurs in a cellar sampling a bottle of Hattiungley, incredulous that English sparkling wine can compare with top French fizz.

It will air from 18 June on Sky News, Comedy Central, Sky Witness, Sky Documentaries, Sky 1, Food Network, Fox, Sky Arts and TLC.

Hattingley has capitalised on the substantial cut in advertising costs as hundreds of companies have cut their own marketing budgets during lockdown.

UK ad spend dropped 27% year-on-year across all media channels in March, according to Nielsen data. Revenues from travel, transport and business advertising halved, while retail investments fell by around 20%.

Although less dependent on ad revenue for survival thanks to its subscription model, Sky is still vulnerable due to its heavy reliance on sports. As well as streaming high profile games, it also sells on-trade partnerships that allow licensees to screen sporting events at their pubs or bars.

But Sky Sports customers can now “pause” their subscription, and the company agreed to stop billing pubs and clubs until a live sport schedule returned. A spokesperson for the English fizz brand said Hattingley has managed to “capitalise on affordable media options presented to them during this current time.”

You can watch the advert here:

Established in 2008 by Simon Robinson, Hattingley Valley planted its first 28-acre vineyard with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier overseen by its head winemaker, Emma Rice. Since then, it has gone on to secure listings with retailers Whole Foods, Tesco, Waitrose and Amazon and is even served on British Airways flights.

The company, received a £7.5 million “facility” from PNC Business Credit in January this year to help support its growth plans.

Gareth Maxwell, commercial director at Hattingley Valley, said: “Working with VCCP Media, we agreed that our 10th anniversary was the right time to place a TV advert from a strategic and commercial perspective. We hope the campaign will challenge people’s perceptions of English sparkling wines and will encourage consumers to buy British.”