Amstel Work with Rexam to Produce ‘Contemporary’ on a Can

The 500ml aluminium cans, produced at Rexam's Naro Fominsk plant in Russia will be available from the end of April.

14/05/09 Rexam and Amstel have been working closely to bring a new can design to the market. The new can uses two of Rexam's added value techniques to give a contemporary and innovative feel, whilst not compromising on convenience for Amstel's loyal beer consumers.

The 500ml aluminium cans, produced at Rexam's Naro Fominsk plant in Russia will be available from the end of April. The cans, using illustration impact print technology together with a matt varnish for real consumer appeal, are the first Amstel cans to use such techniques.

The premium lager, targets male and female drinkers between the ages of 18 and 24, looking to try something different that fits conveniently with their on-the-go lifestyles. Natalia Agafonova, Brand Manager at Amstel says "We believe that introducing the new Amstel can reinforces our image of contemporary and innovative as well as providing our loyal customers with a convenient package to meet their needs."

When asked about the use of Rexam's added value technologies on the can, Natalia went on to say "It was really important for us to have high quality printing on the can to highlight the design of the beer bottle and Rexam's illustration impact gave us just that. As well as this, we wanted to give the can a premium look and chose matt varnish to give the can maximum shelf appeal".

Rexam believes that the working partnership on this project creates a number of successes, not only for them but for the customer and the consumer. Ann Bonner, Marketing Manager at Rexam, feels that the added value technologies Amstel have chosen are exactly right. "Illustration impact has been increasingly popular with brands wanting to stand out from the crowd. It is the ideal solution for Amstel's can design.  We worked closely with them to find the right printing solution and we are really pleased with the results. In addition to this, the aim to make the can appear premium and contemporary was an easy one for us. Our matt over varnish is not only smooth to the touch and appealing to consumers' sensory needs; it also has visual presence at point of sale.

The needs of the end consumer are something that, over the past months, Rexam has been keeping a close eye on. Their research, shows that consumer needs fall in to a number of mega-trends that influence purchasing decisions: convenience, health, sensory, individualism, comfort and connectivity.

In Amstel's target market of consumers aged 18 - 24, the sensory needs play an important part. 50% of purchasing decisions are made when the consumer selects the product from the shelf to examine it further. The use of illustration impact on Amstel's premium brand increases the chance of the can being recognised in the retail outlet. Coupled with this, the use of a matt over varnish, which is different and smooth to the touch, also increases the chances of the consumer making the final decision to purchase the product for their off-trade drinking occasions.