Do pub owners allow beer mats to be distributed?

[kayak]

Bit of a an ambigious question as I'm sure it must depend on the pub.

But does anyone have little more of an insight into whether most pub owners would allow beer mats to be distributed around their premises?

Secondly, what is the turn over rate on beer mats! Do most of them get thrown away at the end of the night or do they generally stay around for longer.

Thirdly, do owners usually have to buy them or do the beer companies give them out for free(I'm not thinking of selling mine).

Fourthly, is this a common promo item which I can get printed easily and cheaply (I haven't googled this yet so please feel free to ignore this one!)

Thoughts?

Kind regards,

John

 

[maria102]

Bit of a an ambigious question as I'm sure it must depend on the pub.

But does anyone have little more of an insight into whether most pub owners would allow beer mats to be distributed around their premises?

Secondly, what is the turn over rate on beer mats! Do most of them get thrown away at the end of the night or do they generally stay around for longer.

Thirdly, do owners usually have to buy them or do the beer companies give them out for free(I'm not thinking of selling mine).

Fourthly, is this a common promo item which I can get printed easily and cheaply (I haven't googled this yet so please feel free to ignore this one!)

Thoughts?

Kind regards,

John

Only one I can answer is the turn over rate - they can be around for a week or so depending on when someone starts ripping them up....

 

[kayak]

That's a good start - thank you.

I would need to look into the cost vs sucess to see if it was worth it.

Kind regards,

John

 

[stugster]

I'm bad at ripping them up I'm afraid... that or stacking them up and tryin to knock 'em all up and catch them before they hit the table. My record is 26!

What are you going to be advertising on the mats?

 

[obscure]

But does anyone have little more of an insight into whether most pub owners would allow beer mats to be distributed around their premises?

Almost certainly not unless you paid them. If they allowed you then very soon the places would be flooded with people dropping off their beer mats (all of which must eventually be cleaned up by the bar staff).

 

[kayak]

I would be advertising a letting agency and with the beer mats I would be targeted them at the student market.

I would only distribute them at times when students were looking for houses, and when they go out lots!

Thank you obscure for your answer - doesn't seem very helpful but I guess there is always the 'don't ask' approach!

Kind regards,

John

 

[10Yetis]

Hi there, I used to work in the marketing and PR dept of a large brewery and beer mats were always a fun source of discussion.

There are two forms of pub, Managed (owned by the brewery) and Freehouse (owned by the person who purchases it).

Managed pubs have quite strict rules in that they can only serve beers that are approved and purchased by the brewery and they can also only use beer mats that have come via brewery approved sources. Usually the brewery get these free from the beer brewers, or sometimes they come from approved sources where a contract has been agreed, e.g. those crap council ones that tell you to have fun but not drink to much.

Freehouses can use any beer mats they want.

The bottom line is that neither the Managed or Freehouse pubs pay for their beer mats because the companies that brew the beers produce them and give them for free.

If you can get in with one of the smaller breweries to start with and as many Freehouses as possible this would be your best bet.

Hope this makes sense.

 

[kayak]

It never crossed my mind going direct to the breweries but I wonder what quantity of beer mats I would be looking at passing them to them for them to consider it.

If I assume rightly, a lot of pubs, especially in central locations are likely to be managed pubs and are therefore not going to like my beer mats very much unless they come from the brewery?

Many thanks for the explanation.

Kind regards,

John

 

[Stephen C PR]

We did a marketing campaign using branded beer mats in pubs across central Manchester. We printed thousands of them as they last for a night (if that). Our route in was slightly different as we were representing a charity.
There's a company I think called The Katz Group (don't think I'm important enough to post links yet) that print them - but I think cheaper printers will as well.

Think of postcards as well - most pubs around student areas have postcard holders for advertisers and people like Don't Panic run the distribution of them and also in packs for club-goers...

 

[citypad]

most people would probably rip them up now that there is a smoking ban.

 

[Cleveregg]

If you're not charging for them then distributing them amongst Tenancy or Franchise pubs is a good start. They will need/want them and the less they can pay for them the better, don't think they care what's on them either (within reason!)

Some beer mats last a few days, others last a few hours.

 

[kayak]

Ok - Lazy time.

Anyone got any costings?

 

[Palagio]

I used to work as a rep for a pub supplies company, and used to get asked all the time by my customers if I could source beer mats for them.
With how the current pub market and breweries are at the moment the marketing budget for the breweries has been massively reduced so they are not so keen on giving away the free beer mats in the quantities that they used to.!

I recently set up a buying group for my customers, it is a one stop purchasing solution where they can buy everything from the beer to the food to the arranging of Dj's and bands.

I'm sure a lot of our pubs (customers) might be interested in putting your beer mats in their pub. Would you only be willing to provide the beer mats for free or also pay the pubs a small (advertising) fee for placing them in their pub?

let me know
Dan