We've covered alcoholic drinks for women before: beer from Germany (Karla) and Poland (Karmi), and wine from the Netherlands (Sophie & Sophie). Continuing the theme, Heineken is about to soft launch a sparkling cider brew for the fair sex. Christened Charli, the drink combines cider, barley malt and fruit flavours. Although barley malt is one of Heineken beer's main ingredients, Charli is marketed to the 63% of women who, according to Heineken, don't like its main product. The brew is also being presented as an alternative to white wine, the quality of which varies widely at Dutch bars.
Charli contains 5% alcohol, has a fresh, fruity flavour and will be sold both bottled and on tap. Like its aforementioned sister sips, the drink is packaged in attractive bottles. Heineken has also gone one step further by creating a svelte and sexy tap for Charli, which should help draw attention to the new brand in bars. Charli will be trialled in 17 bars in Amsterdam and Deventer from this Friday until the end of October, followed by a nationwide launch next summer. For much, much more on marketing to women, check out trendwatching.com’s briefing on female fever.
Website: www.charli.nl
Contact: bcs@charli.nl
Very suggestive beer pump..
Women like beer. Why can't the beer industry understand that to market a "beer" to women that the product needs to remain a beer?! We can order a sweet cider or wine cooler already if we want to feel a bit foolish with our feminity. I can't believe these companies continue to miss the boat.
Oh good, now my family will think I'm even more girly for liking cider. Thanks, Heineken!
Sigh. The life of male cider lovers is an arduous one.
nothing like a clit-shaped tap to get the women excited...
Is the name for real?? If they are launching in the UK they might want to reconsider the name. Asking for some Charley can get you into trouble. Even if it's done by someone with a nice pair of Charlies.
If women like beer, they like beer (count me in) - and that means they probably also appreciate the supposed "male-ness" of the experience. Taking that away seems like a bad idea. Maybe Heineken could figure out how to market their original beer more effectively to women, rather than simply creating a "girly" product line. Argh.
Wouldn't the vulva-like tap attract men (and lesbians)?
Lesbians are women too, Bill!
MADISON AVENUE BLOG
I created Cold-filtered Miller Genuine Draft for Miller Brewing when management flailed away trying to create a "dry beer." It was the hyped rage in Japan. The promise of dry beer was less beer aftertaste. I asked, "Have you EVER met a heavy Budweiser drinker who has a problem with the aftertaste of beer?"
I worked with Anheuser-Busch to examine the development of "beer for women" two times. In both instances, "dry beer" and "beer for women" were solutions looking for problems.
Beer is beer. Cider may be more palatable. But so is Smirnoff Ice. This is another instance of a marketer launching a product without doing thorough homework.
Interesting tap choice, it is infact referred to as the 'Vulva' tap
@Tim Nicol the name is officialy changed to Jillz a while ago. Also the tap is redesigned. The april 24th Jillz was launched all over the Netherlands and there is a website for Jillz at - you guessed it - http://www.Jillz.com