The Publication For The Grocery Trade

Seabrook’s New Hot & Spicy Range Is A Right Proper Hot Gobful! Launch supported by first ever, £1.5m tv ad campaign

Seabrook Crisps, one of the UK's oldest crisps manufacturers is launching a new Hot & Spicy range. The first of three anticipated NPD launches from the company during 2007/2008, the range consists of four new and exciting flavours, Wasabi - the first Japanese inspired flavour of its kind, 2 Chilli, Oriental and Mustard. Worldwide travel and an appreciation of different cultures and cuisines have impacted upon the taste buds of British consumers in recent years. Hot and spicy foods are becoming increasingly popular and consumers are now demanding not only more choice but also more intensity from these flavours. Seabrook Crisps' success is built on strength of flavour and taste performance, so applying these traits to satisfying a significant consumer trend seemed the natural evolution. The powerful flavours in the new range will redefine the concept of 'spicy' - these crisps are not for the fainthearted! Ken Brook-Chrispin, Seabrook Crisps CEO, explained: "Seabrook is known for lip-smacking crisps that are full of flavour and crunch. We pride ourselves in producing flavours that have much more punch than other crisps, and our new range of strong and fiery, spicy crisps will certainly not disappoint consumers' taste buds!" The 'Hot-O-Meter' on every pack shows just how fiery each flavour is, enabling consumers to easily distinguish between the intensity of the various flavours; from the 'sweet n spicy' Oriental to the 'tongue sizzling' Japanese horseradish - Wasabi. At a time when food labelling is under the spotlight, Seabrook Crisps has recently taken the significant step of introducing a 100% clean label approach across all existing flavours, as well as the new Hot & Spicy range - meaning consumers can be confident that all products are MSG free, GM free and suitable for vegetarians. Seabrook crisps are also cooked in pure sunflower oil, sprinkled with sea salt and crinkle cut straight from the potato, making a naturally better crisp. A "naturally better" logo now features front of pack across all 22 flavours. Seabrook's Hot & Spicy range will be available in both individual (53.7g) and sharing bags (113.4g) from June 2007. Exciting point of sale materials including shelf strips, posters, shelf-wobblers, window vinyls and shipper units will also be available to support in-store product sales. The launch of the new range will be supported by a £1.5m TV advertising campaign - the first ever since Seabrook's formation in 1945. The adverts developed by creative agency Propaganda take inspiration from Seabrook's no-nonsense style, strong flavour and Northern roots, and follow the strap line 'A right proper gobful.' The two 30 second adverts introduce the concept of Blah! - standing up to and protesting against the annoying, nonsensical things in modern-day life. Research by Propaganda revealed that two recent phenomena particularly stood out for their ability to wind people up the wrong way - Britain's chav culture and the ridiculous theatrical diving in football. Each advert focuses on one of these themes and shows the main character getting increasingly agitated with a situation, before tipping the remainder of a packet of Seabrook Crisps into their mouths and suddenly discovering the power and confidence to Blah! the offender and make their feelings known. The national campaign, which will run from June, will be supported by integrated through-the-line activity including viral, digital, consumer PR and product placement, as well as exciting point of sale materials. The campaign weight and 4-week schedule will ensure Seabrook Crisps are a 'top' TV advertiser during the campaign period. Ken Brook-Chrispin, Seabrook Crisps CEO explained: "Seabrook Crisps has been in operation for over 60 years and we've created a £16m brand without any above the line marketing at all. We fully realise the importance of supporting our brand and our trade partners and believe that this campaign will unlock the strong Seabrook brand equity that has, as yet, been unexploited." He continued: "The Seabrook Crisps brand enjoys a cult following in its Northern heartland and we want to expand this right across the country. We have seriously ambitious plans for the future and I believe this campaign is a significant milestone on the road to achieving them." Seabrook Crisps Kelly Garbutt Tel: 01274 546405 wwww.seabrookcrisps.co.uk