Big bucks behind Constellation duo

Constellation Europe has earmarked £5 million for a marketing campaign, including TV ads,

for its Echo Falls Californian brand.

The company is spending a further £1.5 million

on South African brand Fish Hoek, which it is

positioning in a higher price bracket than its

Kumala brand .

The Echo Falls campaign is

aimed at what Constellation call s "newbies" - consumers

relatively new to wine.

The TV campaign will promote the brand as "a wine to relax with", and an Echo Falls tour bus will host sampling sessions at shopping centres and "heavily newbie-attended events" for 16 weeks.

Consumers will be offered free beauty treatments on the bus from nailcare product supplier Nails Inc at 12 venues.

Collars on 1.5 million bottles will direct consumers to a website to

see if they have won one of 10,000 Nails Inc prizes.

Clare Griffiths, vice president for European consumer marketing, said: "We're confident these initiatives will keep Echo Falls top

of

mind with newbies and drive sales throughout the crucial summer months."

The Fish Hoek range

of Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Shiraz, Pinotage and Pinotage rosé , was bought by Constellation

when it acquired Bruce Jack's Flagstone winery earlier this year.

The launch is aimed at raising the average selling price of South African wine above

£5 , according to Griffiths, who

added that there was "great potential to increase the value of the South African wine category in the UK".

Fish Hoek will aim for an rrp of £6.19, compared

with Kumala's £4.19 /£5.69.

The marketing campaign will include press ads in weekend supplements

and food and lifestyle magazines such as Good Food and Hom e & Living, from July until early September.