Partnership based on principles

The Thatchers’ business reflects this at every level, from the tens of thousands of apple trees, owned and cultivated on the family farm, right through to the production of the finished product. Thatchers is uncompromisingly committed to quality, tradition and family heritage of crafting the very best cider possible.

The challenge, to effectively communicate those deep-rooted principles to a wider regional and national audience, is one we accepted gladly. In five years, we’ve supported the business in its progression from a small, regional cider maker to a nationally recognised and loved, premium cider brand.

The Partnership

Bray Leino has worked with the Thatcher family to ensure they’re able to pass a strong legacy on to the next generation. Working closely with Martin Thatcher and the leadership team, we are proud to be involved in every aspect of the development and execution of brand strategy, packaging design, promotion and media planning.

The 2010 animated Thatchers ‘People Who Care About Cider’ campaign communicated the central brand values eloquently, followed by the more recent, ‘Pure Gold from Somerset’, which continued to build on that momentum,  backed up by cinema, regional and national outdoor and print activity.

We developed a series of clearly defined strategic steps, demonstrating ROI for each phase, with results influencing implementation of the next. Carefully targeted regional TV placement, progressively rolled in line with developments in the business’ distribution capability, enabled a sustainable approach to building the business.

The Results

We've helped Thatchers Gold become one of the UK’s fastest-growing cider brands through a long-term, strategic commercial partnership built on a mutual pride in the brand and the product, and belief in the family’s ambitions. Since 2011, on and off trade sales have increased by 40%,with Thatchers Gold now the second largest on-trade cider brand.

Managing Director of Thatchers, Martin Thatcher commented: “The expertise we put into our ciders has taken over a century to acquire, so it’s very important that Bray Leino understand the values that make Thatchers unique – family, heritage, care and expertise.

“For us, Bray Leino has become more of a business partner than a communications agency. They have the commitment and commercial aptitude to understand and tackle the challenges we face, while helping us stay true to what we believe in.”

To talk to someone about how we can help your family brand brow and thrive, contact: ndyer@brayleino.co.uk