Every once in a while I look at something and wonder how it all came about and whether it is really ever going to take off. How about this one:

Beer for girls hits the UK

Molson Coors are about to launch a beer for girls. Called Animee, the move is designed to add to the 17% of British women who currently drink beer. It will come in three flavours: clear filtered, zesty lemon and crisp rose.

The marketing director is quoted as warning that …”it is important when launching a female beer not to be too patronizing.” But isn’t the entire thing rather daft?

Would I drink beer if it was in a more feminine bottle? Nope.

Would I drink beer it if it was given a fluffy name? Nope.

I drink beer because it is lovely on a warm day lapping up the Auckland sunshine. Admittedly I prefer it out of a bottle but I sank a few pint glasses in my university days.

Now I get the idea that beer advertising is generally very masculine. And that this may well be putting off a chunk of females from having a try. But is launching a whole new drink category going too far? Should they not explore other tactics to appeal to female consumers? The other problem is that cross-selling Animee to men is very unlikely. Is there sufficient shelf space in the average English local pub to devote to what is likely to be a single-sex drink?

I’ll be really fascinated to see if this beer for girls idea is a winner. I can’t wait to read more and see how they position it. And whether they do indeed manage to avoid patronizing women. There will be a load of hype around the launch but whether the fluffy, girly-yet-sophisticated positioning will pay off in the bars and clubs of Britain is anyone’s guess.