Creative consistency and innovative media buying have put Hooch ahead of
its rivals, John Owen says
It’s hard to remember where I first heard about Hooch. Was it the point-
of-sale material in my local pub, the flyposter-style blitz of Oxford
Circus tube station, or was it by word of mouth?
Certainly, the grapevine has been humming of late with talk of this new
alcoholic lemonade. And that is proof enough of how effective KLP’s
campaign for Bass Brewers has been.
While part of the success is down to the intriguing nature of the
product, many other innovative concoctions have come and gone without
anything like the impact of Hooch. Or ‘Hooper’s Hooch’, as we are
supposed to call it.
Apart from anything else, KLP’s inspired strapline - ‘One taste and your
Hooched’ - would lose some of its appeal if you had to insert the word
Hooper’s.
What really makes this work impressive, though, is the decision to give
one agency responsibility for everything. KLP has come up with some eye-
catching artwork which, via the groovy lemon geezer with the teeth,
gives a distinct personality to the brand.
The trade press ads with which Bass announced the product set the tone -
they’re heavily image-led, but still manage to convey important
information. The consumer advertising which followed is pure image.
The distinctiveness of the lemon means Hooch is easily recognisable on
the perimeter hoardings at football grounds and at the Oval for the
final Test against the West Indies where KLP erected a special site.
Hooch has also sponsored music events, leading to mentions in magazines
such as the Face.
My favourite execution is a new one: a series of postcards, where the
yellow fellow pops up in spoofs of famous movies, such as Reservoir
Dogs. Appropriately, these are being handed out at cinemas.
Client: Bass Brewers
Project: Launch of Hooch
Agency: KLP
