New Tui Blond Lager Vortex™ A Real Head Turner

Media release

20 June 2011

New Tui Blond Lager Vortex™ A Real Head Turner

Award-winning Tui Blond Lager is set to revolutionize the local beer market with a highly innovative bottle and new packaging.

In 2009 the famous Tui Brewery on the banks of the Mangatainoka River welcomed a new member into the Tui family - Tui Blond Lager. Since its inception Tui’s new lager beer has gone from strength-to-strength, bolstering its credentials by winning ‘Best New Zealand Premium Lager’ at the 2010 BrewNZ Awards then Gold at the Monde Selection awards in Belgium this year.

From June, Tui Blond Lager is introducing an innovative redesign, opening another chapter in Kiwi beer history, as the first product in the Southern Hemisphere to be bottled with a ‘Vortex’ internal neck emboss.

Manufactured by O-I Glass in Auckland, the new ‘Vortex’ bottle innovation will further add to the Tui Blond Lager consumer experience by invigorating the beer as it flows over a series of spiral grooves within the neck of the bottle. The technology was originally developed because consumers are no longer pouring beer into a glass before drinking, this step aggravates the beer releasing more of the beer’s taste. The team at the Tui Brewery believe the new ‘Vortex’ bottle will create a similar experience.

But it’s not only the launch of an ingenious new bottle, but a wider packaging design make over which Tui Blond Lager is undertaking. The brand’s packaging has been redesigned and features a new 3D brand badge. The unique 3D rendering gives the appearance that the Tui Blond Lager logo, wording and Tui bird are larger than they appear - a category first in New Zealand.

The new bottle innovation also makes an appearance on-pack to illustrate the bottles unique spiral grooves, and the recent BrewNZ 2010 award for ‘New Zealand’s Best Lager’ has been added to highlight its brewing credentials.

New-look Tui Blond Lager will further build on its success and increase the brand awareness with a unique point of difference says William Papesch, Tui brand Manager. “Tui Blond Lager is a successful addition to the Tui brand and has extended the brands footprint remarkably over the past couple of years. We have revitalised the brand’s appearance and our innovative new Vortex bottle will further evolve the Tui Blond Lager brand into a more relevant and contemporary offering.”

To support the launch, Tui has developed a fantastic new TVC highlighting Tui Blond Lager’s innovation and awards. William Papesch says, “The TVC is a continuation of the Tui Brewing Legends campaign. The commercial sees the lads on a brewery tour at the iconic Tui Brewery Tower receiving a detailed explanation of the new spiral neck bottle and it’s benefits, from a Tui Brewery Girl. Just like the bottle this TVC is going to be a massive talking point.”

-Ends-

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