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By ’Eck, It’s Back: How We Relaunched Boddingtons with JW Lees

By ’Eck, It’s Back: How We Relaunched Boddingtons with JW Lees

The Cream of Manchester is Back

Some brands never really leave people’s hearts — and Boddingtons is one of them. Known as the “Cream of Manchester,” this iconic beer has long been a symbol of Northern pride.

So when JW Lees wanted to relaunch Boddingtons on cask in 2025, we knew it had to be bold, noisy, and unforgettable.

The Results: Sold Out on Day One

The numbers speak for themselves:

  • 📈 400+ new followers and growing

  • 👀 32,900 reach

  • 💬 Around 1K engagements

  • 📰 21 pieces of coverage (and counting)

  • 🍻 Sold out of Boddingtons at multiple venues across Manchester

  • 🎥 Viral Reel collab with The Manc 105k views

Launch week ended with empty casks, Instagram love letters, and a whole lot of happy drinkers.

Here’s how we made it happen.

The Challenge: Relaunching a Legendary Beer

It’s one thing to bring back a much-loved beer. It’s another to make sure people don’t just read about it — they head straight to the pub to order a pint.

The campaign slogan was “By ’Eck It’s Back” — and our job was to make sure that everyone (and their mum) knew about it.

Our PR & Social Media Strategy for Boddingtons

Kicking off with beer royalty

We started by giving beer royalty the first taste: CAMRA, trade media, and industry voices. The tasting took place at the JW Lees brewery, which meant plenty of great content for social as well as glowing reviews from those who matter most.

Media coverage at the first pint

Next came the big moment: William Lees-Jones, JW Lees’ Managing Director, pulled the very first pint at the flagship Founders Hall pub in Manchester. Regional and national media were invited — and the coverage (plus social content from their own channels) was instant.

Making Manchester yellow with OOH

As soon as launch weekend wrapped up, it was time to make the campaign unmissable. Manchester turned yellow with OOH across the city — and we haven’t stopped snapping pictures of it since. The unmissable design is from the brilliant team at Squad.

Viral moments & influencer love

The campaign even caught the attention of Andy Burnham and the Japanese Ambassador (who went viral with his pint). And with a standout Reel collaboration with The Manc hitting 105k views, Boddingtons was firmly back in the spotlight.

What’s Next for Boddingtons

The return of Boddingtons is only just beginning. Next up:

  • 🎉 Party invites across Manchester

  • 🍺 1,000 free pints for fans

  • 📸 More content, more coverage, and more reasons to head to the pub

By ’Eck, it’s good to have the Cream of Manchester back.

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