Irn-Bru
Encyclopedia
Irn-Bru is a carbonated
soft drink
produced in Westfield, Cumbernauld
, Scotland
. It is made by A.G. Barr
of Glasgow
since moving out of their original Parkhead
factory in the mid-1990s and at a second manufacturing site in Mansfield
, England
. In addition to being sold throughout the United Kingdom
, Barr's Irn-Bru is available throughout the world and can usually be purchased where there is a significant community of people from Scotland. Innovative and sometimes controversial marketing campaigns have kept it as one of the best-selling soft drinks in Scotland, where it competes directly with global brands such as Coca-Cola
and Pepsi
.
It is popularly conceived that the name 'Irn-Bru' originated with the re-building of Glasgow Central Station
in 1901. When workers from the William Beardmore and Company
Steel Works in Glasgow were dying from the large amounts of beer drunk to quench their thirst from the heat of the steel works, an alternative was sought. A local soft drinks manufacturer, A.G. Barr, approached the steel works and a contract was created to provide the workers with this drink. This unnamed drink later went on to be known as 'Iron Brew' because of its connections to the steel (and iron) works.
, sugar
, 32 flavouring agents (including caffeine
—though caffeine is not listed as an ingredient on the Australian labelling—and quinine
) and two controversial colourings (E110
, E124
). On 27 January 2010, A.G. Barr
agreed to a Food Standards Agency
voluntary ban on these two colourings although no date has been set for their replacement. The beverage is advertised as having a slight citrus
flavour.
Irn-Bru was first produced in 1901, in the town of Falkirk
, under the name Strachan's brew. In 1946, a change in laws required that the word "brew" be removed from the name, as the drink is not brewed. The chairman of the company came up with the idea of changing the spelling of both halves of the name, giving the Irn-Bru brand. 1980 saw the introduction of Low Calorie Irn-Bru: this was re-launched in 1991 as Diet
Irn-Bru and again in 2011 as Sugar Free Irn-Bru. The Irn-Bru 32 energy drink
variant was launched in 2006.
It has long been the most popular soft drink in Scotland, with Coca-Cola
second, but recent competition between the two brands has brought their sales to roughly equal levels. It is also the third best selling soft drink in the UK, after Coca-Cola and Pepsi, outselling high-profile brands such as Fanta
, Dr Pepper
, Sprite
and 7-Up. This success in defending its home market (a feat claimed only by Irn-Bru, and Inca Kola
) has led to ongoing speculation that Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Inc. or its UK brand franchisee Britvic
would attempt to buy A.G. Barr.
Irn-Bru's advertising slogans used to be 'Scotland's other National Drink', referring to whisky
, and 'Made in Scotland from girders', a reference to the rusty colour of the drink; though the closest one can come to substantiating this claim is the 0.002% ammonium ferric citrate
listed in the ingredients.
A limited edition Irn Bru was released in Autumn 2011. Packaged with a black and orange design, and with the signature man icon with a added image of a fire, 'Firey Irn Bru', had a warm, tingly feeling in the mouth once drunk. The after taste to it is similar to ginger but still has the iconic Irn Bru flavour.
, Tizer
, Red Kola
, Barr Cola
, and Limeade
are still available in 750 ml reusable glass bottles. The empty bottles can be returned to the manufacturer via any retailer which sells them, and can usually be exchanged for the deposit (30 pence deposit).
Irn-Bru and Diet Irn-Bru are available in the following sizes:
In May 2007, Irn-Bru re-designed its bottles and cans.
Barr has a long-established gimmick
associating Irn-Bru with Scottishness, stemming from the claim of it being Scotland's most popular soft drink. A tagline, 'Made in Scotland from girders', was used for several years from the 1980s, usually featuring Irn-Bru drinkers becoming unusually strong, durable, or magnetic.
An advertising campaign launched in 2000 featured eccentric characters and situations. One involved a grandfather (played by actor Robert Wilson) who removed his false teeth to spoil his grandson's interest in his can of Irn-Bru. A further TV advertisement featured a senior citizen in a motorised wheelchair robbing a local shopping market of a supply of Irn-Bru. Further advertising campaigns for Irn-Bru appeared in conjunction with the release of Irn-Bru 32 in 2006. This campaign consisted of a parody commercial of a popular Christmas Cartoon, The Snowman
, and was effective in interesting American audiences in the Irn-Bru brand.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfiqrkV_ZqI
The most recent advertisement for the product features a group of high school students performing a musical number, with the refrain 'It's fizzy, It's ginger, It's phenomenal!'. It is suggested to be a parody of musicals such as High School Musical
.
, while the father and two children deliver a song which ends with the mother singing: '...even though I used to be a man'. This advertisement aired in 2000, but when it was re-aired in 2003, it received seventeen complaints from people who claimed it was offensive to transsexuals. Issue A14 of the Ofcom
Advertising Complaints bulletin reports that the children's response to their mother's claim was not offensive. The advertisement was meant to be a joke about changing points of view over time. However, the scene involving the mother shaving at the end of the advertisement was deemed to be potentially offensive to transsexuals, and so it was taken off the air.
In 2003, an Irn-Bru commercial which showed a midwife trying to entice a baby from its mother's womb during a difficult delivery sparked a complaint from one viewer. Some saw it as upsetting to women who had suffered miscarriages.
One billboard featured a young woman in a bikini
along with the slogan 'I never knew four-and-a-half inches could give so much pleasure'. Another featured a picture of a cow with the slogan 'When I'm a burger, I want to be washed down with Irn-Bru'. This billboard received over 700 complaints but was cleared by advertisement watchdogs. A billboard which featured a depressed goth
and the slogan 'Cheer up Goth. Have an Irn Bru.' was also criticized for inciting bullying.
s—mainly vodka
and whisky
. Indeed, the alcopop
WKD
(produced by Beverage Brands) was launched as an alcoholic equivalent of Irn-Bru. Barr retaliated by launching a drink combining Irn-Bru and Bell's whisky, though this proved to be unpopular and was discontinued. A later attempt came in the form of an official Irn-Bru flavour in the Red Square line-up of vodka-based drinks; this too has been discontinued. There is an official Irn-Bru WKD flavour.
there are a range of exhibits, selected by celebrities - Sir Sean Connery
chose a crate of Irn-Bru.
featured a play on Irn-Bru's logo as one of their T shirt designs in their 2008 tour. The band also brought Irn-Bru with them to drink during their performances.
Elvis Costello
references Irn-Bru in "The St. Stephen's Day Murders," referring to a mixture of Tia Maria
and "that drink made from girders."
Scottish indiepop band The Orchids
reference Irn-Bru in their first single, "I've Got A Habit."
Irn-Bru is manufactured in five factories in Russia
, and manufactured under licence in Canada
, United States
, and since May 2008 in Norway
. Bru and other Barr products are exported to Spain
, Netherlands
, Germany
, Gibraltar
, Greece
, and Cyprus
, as well as parts of Africa
and Asia
. It is available in Ireland
(chiefly in both Northern Ireland
and border counties, but increasingly in BWG and ADM Londis supplied stores nationwide), Malta
, Belgium
and, as of 2005, in Poland
. It is now sold in Iceland
as of 2011. A similarly named product, using the 'Iron Brew' spelling but bearing little resemblance to Irn-Bru in flavour, colour or packaging, is produced by Coca-Cola
in South Africa
.
, IRN-BRU was manufactured and distributed under licence by Occasio Australia Pty Ltd until 2009. It was available in 500ml and 1.25l varieties in both regular and diet. The drink enjoyed growing success in the country, with its first advertising campaign launched in Queensland
in September 2007. It was initially available in major chains such as Coles
and Woolworths, Caltex service stations and in many independent grocers and convenience stores, however, it was then delisted at Coles supermarkets. Due to manufacturing and bottling issues, Occasio ceased local production in late 2009 and are now importing IRN-BRU directly from the UK, with stocks now seen on IGA and Coles shelves in Western Australia
as of October 2010. Although it is exported from the UK it does not contain caffeine or quinine, so the taste is different from that sold in the UK. Imported cans of the original Scottish-made formula can be found in some import shops for around A$3 each.
contains no caffeine, as until recently food products were not permitted to contain caffeine unless naturally occurring. As a result of this, and the omission of quinine, the taste is different.
The now-defunct McKinley/McInlay soft-drink company in Cape Breton
, Nova Scotia
, Canada, for many years offered its own non-licensed beverage called 'Iron Brew'. It was a brown carbonated soft-drink with a fruity cola taste. After the company stopped operations around 1990, PepsiCo continued to sell the drink locally as 'Cape Breton's Irn Bru'. The packaging consisted of plainly labelled plastic bottles (black text on a featureless white label) and a disclaimer 'Not a source of Iron'.
The standard Irn-Bru distributed in Canada also contains the 'Not a source of iron' disclaimer on the label.
has launched its Irn-Bru product throughout the Middle East
. The Jeffrey International Group have been appointed as the distribution and marketing partner. The Irn-Bru is bottled locally. IRN-BRU is available in all retail outlets in the UAE. Spinneys
, Lulu and Co-Operatives stock the product.
as of February 2010.
They were believed to be sponsoring the Adeccoligaclub Mjøndalen IF
in 2009. This later turned out to be fraud carried out by a third party company, and Mjøndalen IF never received any sponsorship from Irn-Bru, even though the team played the 2009 season with Irn-Bru marketing on their shirts.
. Ponceau 4R
used in the UK formulation is prohibited by U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA). Barr uses alternative food and drink colourants manufactured by a US Company approved by the FDA. The product labelling also meets US labelling standards on nutritional information and bar code. Compliant Irn-Bru is solely imported by Great Scot International in Charlotte, North Carolina
, who supplies distributors and retailers throughout the US. It is only supplied in 500 mL.
A soft drink called 'Iron Brew' is made by Foxon Park
(est. 1922), a local bottler in East Haven, Connecticut
. 'It is tough to describe Iron Brew', says Foxon Park's web page, noting that it 'has its roots in old Scotland.' It's promoted as combining cola
, cream soda
, and root beer
flavours.
Another manufacturer was Shipstones Brewery, Nottingham date of origin is not known. The oldest surviving unopened bottle is from circa 1970
Carbonation
Carbonation is the process of dissolving carbon dioxide in water. The process usually involves carbon dioxide under high pressure. When the pressure is reduced, the carbon dioxide is released from the solution as small bubbles, which cause the solution to "fizz." This effect is seen in carbonated...
soft drink
Soft drink
A soft drink is a non-alcoholic beverage that typically contains water , a sweetener, and a flavoring agent...
produced in Westfield, Cumbernauld
Westfield, Cumbernauld
Westfield is an area of the town of Cumbernauld in Scotland. Westfield is a popular residential area originally built by Cumbernauld Development Corporation in the late 1970's / early 1980's . It is located near the village of Condorrat and Broadwood Stadium, home of Clyde FC. The area is...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It is made by A.G. Barr
A.G. Barr
A.G. Barr plc or commonly known as Barr's is a British soft drinks manufacturer, based in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is particularly notable for the manufacture of the popular Scottish drink, Irn-Bru. A.G. Barr is the largest manufacturer of soft drinks in the United Kingdom...
of Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
since moving out of their original Parkhead
Parkhead
Parkhead is a district in the East End of Glasgow. Its name comes from a small weaving hamlet at the meeting place of the Great Eastern Road and Westmuir Street. Duke Street and Springfield Road also meet there, to form a turreted Edwardian five-way junction at Parkhead Cross...
factory in the mid-1990s and at a second manufacturing site in Mansfield
Mansfield
Mansfield is a town in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the main town in the Mansfield local government district. Mansfield is a part of the Mansfield Urban Area....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. In addition to being sold throughout the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Barr's Irn-Bru is available throughout the world and can usually be purchased where there is a significant community of people from Scotland. Innovative and sometimes controversial marketing campaigns have kept it as one of the best-selling soft drinks in Scotland, where it competes directly with global brands such as Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
and Pepsi
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
.
It is popularly conceived that the name 'Irn-Bru' originated with the re-building of Glasgow Central Station
Glasgow Central station
Glasgow Central is the larger of the two present main-line railway terminals in Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland. The station was opened by the Caledonian Railway on 31 July 1879 and is currently managed by Network Rail...
in 1901. When workers from the William Beardmore and Company
William Beardmore and Company
William Beardmore and Company was a Scottish engineering and shipbuilding conglomerate based in Glasgow and the surrounding Clydeside area. It was active between about 1890 and 1930 and at its peak employed about 40,000 people...
Steel Works in Glasgow were dying from the large amounts of beer drunk to quench their thirst from the heat of the steel works, an alternative was sought. A local soft drinks manufacturer, A.G. Barr, approached the steel works and a contract was created to provide the workers with this drink. This unnamed drink later went on to be known as 'Iron Brew' because of its connections to the steel (and iron) works.
Overview
Irn-Bru is known for its bright orange colour. As of 1999 it contained 0.002% of ammonium ferric citrateAmmonium ferric citrate
Ammonium ferric citrate is a food additive with E number E381 used as an acidity regulator. It is a green or reddish-brown powder which is very soluble in water....
, sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
, 32 flavouring agents (including caffeine
Caffeine
Caffeine is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid that acts as a stimulant drug. Caffeine is found in varying quantities in the seeds, leaves, and fruit of some plants, where it acts as a natural pesticide that paralyzes and kills certain insects feeding on the plants...
—though caffeine is not listed as an ingredient on the Australian labelling—and quinine
Quinine
Quinine is a natural white crystalline alkaloid having antipyretic , antimalarial, analgesic , anti-inflammatory properties and a bitter taste. It is a stereoisomer of quinidine which, unlike quinine, is an anti-arrhythmic...
) and two controversial colourings (E110
Sunset Yellow FCF
Sunset Yellow FCF is a synthetic yellow azo dye, manufactured from aromatic hydrocarbons from petroleum. When added to foods, it is denoted by E Number E110...
, E124
Ponceau 4R
Ponceau 4R , SX purple) is a synthetic colourant that may be used as a food colouring. It is denoted by E Number E124...
). On 27 January 2010, A.G. Barr
A.G. Barr
A.G. Barr plc or commonly known as Barr's is a British soft drinks manufacturer, based in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is particularly notable for the manufacture of the popular Scottish drink, Irn-Bru. A.G. Barr is the largest manufacturer of soft drinks in the United Kingdom...
agreed to a Food Standards Agency
Food Standards Agency
The Food Standards Agency is a non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for protecting public health in relation to food throughout the United Kingdom and is led by a board appointed to act in the public interest...
voluntary ban on these two colourings although no date has been set for their replacement. The beverage is advertised as having a slight citrus
Citrus
Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae. Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar and the Yunnan province of China...
flavour.
Irn-Bru was first produced in 1901, in the town of Falkirk
Falkirk
Falkirk is a town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies in the Forth Valley, almost midway between the two most populous cities of Scotland; north-west of Edinburgh and north-east of Glasgow....
, under the name Strachan's brew. In 1946, a change in laws required that the word "brew" be removed from the name, as the drink is not brewed. The chairman of the company came up with the idea of changing the spelling of both halves of the name, giving the Irn-Bru brand. 1980 saw the introduction of Low Calorie Irn-Bru: this was re-launched in 1991 as Diet
Diet soda
Diet sodas are typically sugar-free, artificially sweetened, non-alcoholic carbonated beverages generally marketed towards health-conscious people, diabetics, athletes, and other people who want to lose weight, improve physical fitness, or reduce their...
Irn-Bru and again in 2011 as Sugar Free Irn-Bru. The Irn-Bru 32 energy drink
Energy drink
Energy drinks are beverages whose producers advertise that they "boost energy." These advertisements usually do not emphasize energy derived from the sugar and caffeine they contain but rather increased energy release due to a variety of stimulants and vitamins....
variant was launched in 2006.
It has long been the most popular soft drink in Scotland, with Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
second, but recent competition between the two brands has brought their sales to roughly equal levels. It is also the third best selling soft drink in the UK, after Coca-Cola and Pepsi, outselling high-profile brands such as Fanta
Fanta
Fanta is a global brand of fruit-flavored carbonated soft drinks from the Coca-Cola Company. There are over 90 flavors worldwide. The drink debuted in Germany in 1941 and originally sold only in Europe.-History:...
, Dr Pepper
Dr Pepper
Dr Pepper is a soft drink, marketed as having a unique flavor. The drink was created in the 1880s by Charles Alderton of Waco, Texas and first served around 1885. Dr Pepper was first nationally marketed in the United States in 1904 and is now also sold in Europe, Asia, Canada, Mexico, Australia ...
, Sprite
Sprite (soft drink)
Sprite is a transparent, lemon-lime flavored , caffeine free soft drink, produced by the Coca-Cola Company. It was introduced in the United States in 1961. This was Coke's response to the popularity of 7 Up, which had begun as "Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda" in 1929...
and 7-Up. This success in defending its home market (a feat claimed only by Irn-Bru, and Inca Kola
Inca Kola
Inca Kola is a soft drink created in Peru in 1935 by British immigrant José Robinson Lindleyhttp://www.urosario.edu.co/urosario_files/12/12e72337-b358-45ac-9228-bb9ba34ffa2c.pdf...
) has led to ongoing speculation that Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Inc. or its UK brand franchisee Britvic
Britvic
Britvic plc is a British producer of soft drinks. It is the number two soft drinks producer in the UK. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index...
would attempt to buy A.G. Barr.
Irn-Bru's advertising slogans used to be 'Scotland's other National Drink', referring to whisky
Whisky
Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Different grains are used for different varieties, including barley, malted barley, rye, malted rye, wheat, and corn...
, and 'Made in Scotland from girders', a reference to the rusty colour of the drink; though the closest one can come to substantiating this claim is the 0.002% ammonium ferric citrate
Ammonium ferric citrate
Ammonium ferric citrate is a food additive with E number E381 used as an acidity regulator. It is a green or reddish-brown powder which is very soluble in water....
listed in the ingredients.
A limited edition Irn Bru was released in Autumn 2011. Packaged with a black and orange design, and with the signature man icon with a added image of a fire, 'Firey Irn Bru', had a warm, tingly feeling in the mouth once drunk. The after taste to it is similar to ginger but still has the iconic Irn Bru flavour.
Packaging
Irn-Bru and other Barr brands including Pineappleade, Cream SodaCream soda
Cream soda is a sweet carbonated soft drink, often flavored with vanilla.-History and development:A recipe for cream soda—written by E.M. Sheldon and published in Michigan Farmer in 1852—called for water, cream of tartar, Epsom salts, sugar, tartaric acid, egg, and milk, to be mixed together, then...
, Tizer
Tizer
Tizer is a red-coloured soft drink sold in the United Kingdom. The name originally comes from the phrase 'Tizer the Appetizer'. It was launched in 1924 by Fred Pickup of Manchester when it was known as 'Pickup's Appetizer'. After the death of Pickup it was owned by the Armour Trust before being...
, Red Kola
Red Kola
Red Kola is a carbonated soft drink made from fruit extracts, and may include flavouring from the kola nut. The main manufacturer and supplier is Barr's, the other being Currie's ....
, Barr Cola
Barr Cola
Barr Cola, is a cola in Scotland, made from kola nuts.It is manufactured by the A.G. Barr plc company, makers of Irn-Bru. Barr Cola, like Irn-Bru, is most popular in Scotland...
, and Limeade
Limeade
Limeade is a beverage similar to lemonade, but is made with lime juice or lime flavour instead of those of the lemon. Rose's lime juice, a concentrated drink patented in 1867, is one of the best-known brands. A.G. Barr plc of Glasgow produce a limeade as does Newman's Own since 2004...
are still available in 750 ml reusable glass bottles. The empty bottles can be returned to the manufacturer via any retailer which sells them, and can usually be exchanged for the deposit (30 pence deposit).
- 150 ml can
- 250 ml plastic bottle
- 330 ml can
- 330 ml glass bottle
- 500 ml can Limited Edition
- 500 ml plastic bottle
- 600 ml plastic bottle (Russia)
- 1 litre plastic bottle
- 1.25 litre bottle (Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Scotland)
- 2 litre plastic bottle
- 2.5 litre bottle (Scotland "Big Bru")
- 3 litre plastic bottle
- 355 ml glass bottle (in Canada)
- 750 ml glass bottle
- 5 litre Syrup containers.
In May 2007, Irn-Bru re-designed its bottles and cans.
Marketing
Advertising campaigns
An early (and long running) advertising campaign was 'The Adventures of Ba-Bru and Sandy' comic. A neon sign featuring Ba-Bru stood outside Glasgow Central Station for many years, and was only removed in the late 1980s.Barr has a long-established gimmick
Gimmick
In marketing language, a gimmick is a unique or quirky special feature that makes something "stand out" from its contemporaries. However, the special feature is typically thought to be of little relevance or use. Thus, a gimmick is a special feature for the sake of having a special feature...
associating Irn-Bru with Scottishness, stemming from the claim of it being Scotland's most popular soft drink. A tagline, 'Made in Scotland from girders', was used for several years from the 1980s, usually featuring Irn-Bru drinkers becoming unusually strong, durable, or magnetic.
An advertising campaign launched in 2000 featured eccentric characters and situations. One involved a grandfather (played by actor Robert Wilson) who removed his false teeth to spoil his grandson's interest in his can of Irn-Bru. A further TV advertisement featured a senior citizen in a motorised wheelchair robbing a local shopping market of a supply of Irn-Bru. Further advertising campaigns for Irn-Bru appeared in conjunction with the release of Irn-Bru 32 in 2006. This campaign consisted of a parody commercial of a popular Christmas Cartoon, The Snowman
The Snowman
The Snowman is a children's book by English author Raymond Briggs, published in 1978. In 1982, this book was turned into a 26-minute animated movie by Dianne Jackson for the fledgling Channel 4. It was first shown on Channel 4 late on Christmas Eve in 1982 and was an immediate success. The film was...
, and was effective in interesting American audiences in the Irn-Bru brand.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfiqrkV_ZqI
The most recent advertisement for the product features a group of high school students performing a musical number, with the refrain 'It's fizzy, It's ginger, It's phenomenal!'. It is suggested to be a parody of musicals such as High School Musical
High School Musical
High School Musical is a 2006 American television film, first in the High School Musical film franchise. Upon its release on January 20, 2006, it became the most successful film that Disney Channel Original Movie ever produced, with a television sequel High School Musical 2 released in 2007 and...
.
Controversy
One of the most controversial Irn-Bru television adverts evoked 1950s entertainment. A mother plays the pianoPiano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, while the father and two children deliver a song which ends with the mother singing: '...even though I used to be a man'. This advertisement aired in 2000, but when it was re-aired in 2003, it received seventeen complaints from people who claimed it was offensive to transsexuals. Issue A14 of the Ofcom
Ofcom
Ofcom is the government-approved regulatory authority for the broadcasting and telecommunications industries in the United Kingdom. Ofcom was initially established by the Office of Communications Act 2002. It received its full authority from the Communications Act 2003...
Advertising Complaints bulletin reports that the children's response to their mother's claim was not offensive. The advertisement was meant to be a joke about changing points of view over time. However, the scene involving the mother shaving at the end of the advertisement was deemed to be potentially offensive to transsexuals, and so it was taken off the air.
In 2003, an Irn-Bru commercial which showed a midwife trying to entice a baby from its mother's womb during a difficult delivery sparked a complaint from one viewer. Some saw it as upsetting to women who had suffered miscarriages.
One billboard featured a young woman in a bikini
Bikini
The bikini is typically a women's two-piece swimsuit. One part of the attire covers the breasts and the other part covers the crotch and part of or the entire buttocks, leaving an uncovered area between the two. Merriam–Webster describes the bikini as "a woman's scanty two-piece bathing suit" or "a...
along with the slogan 'I never knew four-and-a-half inches could give so much pleasure'. Another featured a picture of a cow with the slogan 'When I'm a burger, I want to be washed down with Irn-Bru'. This billboard received over 700 complaints but was cleared by advertisement watchdogs. A billboard which featured a depressed goth
Goth subculture
The goth subculture is a contemporary subculture found in many countries. It began in England during the early 1980s in the gothic rock scene, an offshoot of the post-punk genre. The goth subculture has survived much longer than others of the same era, and has continued to diversify...
and the slogan 'Cheer up Goth. Have an Irn Bru.' was also criticized for inciting bullying.
Brand portfolio
| Name | Launched |
|---|---|
| Irn-Bru | 1901 |
| Irn-Bru Sugar Free formerly Diet Irn-Bru (1991-2011) | 1991 |
| Irn-Bru XS | 1995 |
| Irn-Bru 32 | 2006 |
| Fiery Irn-Bru | 2011 |
Irn-Bru and others
It can be used as a mixer with alcoholic beverageAlcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
s—mainly vodka
Vodka
Vodka , is a distilled beverage. It is composed primarily of water and ethanol with traces of impurities and flavorings. Vodka is made by the distillation of fermented substances such as grains, potatoes, or sometimes fruits....
and whisky
Whisky
Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Different grains are used for different varieties, including barley, malted barley, rye, malted rye, wheat, and corn...
. Indeed, the alcopop
Alcopop
Alcopop is a colloquial term describing certain flavored alcoholic beverages, including:#malt beverages to which various fruit juices or other flavorings have been added...
WKD
WKD Original Vodka
WKD Original Vodka is a brand of alcopop produced by Beverage Brands. It is sold and heavily marketed in the United Kingdom with the slogan ‘Have you got a WKD side?’ , and also in many countries in mainland Europe. AC Nielsen ranked it as the number-one UK ready-to-drink brand in 2006.-Product...
(produced by Beverage Brands) was launched as an alcoholic equivalent of Irn-Bru. Barr retaliated by launching a drink combining Irn-Bru and Bell's whisky, though this proved to be unpopular and was discontinued. A later attempt came in the form of an official Irn-Bru flavour in the Red Square line-up of vodka-based drinks; this too has been discontinued. There is an official Irn-Bru WKD flavour.
Museums
In the Museum of Scotland in EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
there are a range of exhibits, selected by celebrities - Sir Sean Connery
Sean Connery
Sir Thomas Sean Connery , better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globes Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born 25 August 1930), better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy...
chose a crate of Irn-Bru.
Bands and Irn Bru
Scottish rock band The FratellisThe Fratellis
The Fratellis were an indie rock band from Glasgow, Scotland. The band consisted of lead vocalist and guitarist Jon Fratelli , bass guitarist Barry Fratelli , and drummer and backing vocalist Mince Fratelli .The band released 2 albums during their career, Costello Music in 2006 and Here We Stand in...
featured a play on Irn-Bru's logo as one of their T shirt designs in their 2008 tour. The band also brought Irn-Bru with them to drink during their performances.
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...
references Irn-Bru in "The St. Stephen's Day Murders," referring to a mixture of Tia Maria
Tia Maria
Tia Maria is a coffee liqueur made originally in Jamaica using Jamaican coffee beans. The main flavor ingredients are coffee beans, cane spirit, vanilla, and sugar, blended to an alcoholic content of 31.5% ....
and "that drink made from girders."
Scottish indiepop band The Orchids
The Orchids
The Orchids are a Scottish twee pop band that achieved success with Sarah Records. Formed near Glasgow in 1986, the Orchids released a series of underground singles on the influential Sarah Records . The group's line-up comprised James Hackett , John Scally , Chris Quinn , Matthew Drummond and...
reference Irn-Bru in their first single, "I've Got A Habit."
Exports and foreign markets
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, and manufactured under licence in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and since May 2008 in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. Bru and other Barr products are exported to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, and Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, as well as parts of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. It is available in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
(chiefly in both Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and border counties, but increasingly in BWG and ADM Londis supplied stores nationwide), Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and, as of 2005, in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. It is now sold in Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
as of 2011. A similarly named product, using the 'Iron Brew' spelling but bearing little resemblance to Irn-Bru in flavour, colour or packaging, is produced by Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
Australia
In AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, IRN-BRU was manufactured and distributed under licence by Occasio Australia Pty Ltd until 2009. It was available in 500ml and 1.25l varieties in both regular and diet. The drink enjoyed growing success in the country, with its first advertising campaign launched in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
in September 2007. It was initially available in major chains such as Coles
Coles Supermarkets
Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741 stores nationally Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741 stores nationally Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741...
and Woolworths, Caltex service stations and in many independent grocers and convenience stores, however, it was then delisted at Coles supermarkets. Due to manufacturing and bottling issues, Occasio ceased local production in late 2009 and are now importing IRN-BRU directly from the UK, with stocks now seen on IGA and Coles shelves in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
as of October 2010. Although it is exported from the UK it does not contain caffeine or quinine, so the taste is different from that sold in the UK. Imported cans of the original Scottish-made formula can be found in some import shops for around A$3 each.
Canada
Irn-Bru sold in CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
contains no caffeine, as until recently food products were not permitted to contain caffeine unless naturally occurring. As a result of this, and the omission of quinine, the taste is different.
The now-defunct McKinley/McInlay soft-drink company in Cape Breton
Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America. It likely corresponds to the word Breton, the French demonym for Brittany....
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, Canada, for many years offered its own non-licensed beverage called 'Iron Brew'. It was a brown carbonated soft-drink with a fruity cola taste. After the company stopped operations around 1990, PepsiCo continued to sell the drink locally as 'Cape Breton's Irn Bru'. The packaging consisted of plainly labelled plastic bottles (black text on a featureless white label) and a disclaimer 'Not a source of Iron'.
The standard Irn-Bru distributed in Canada also contains the 'Not a source of iron' disclaimer on the label.
Middle East
A.G. BarrA.G. Barr
A.G. Barr plc or commonly known as Barr's is a British soft drinks manufacturer, based in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is particularly notable for the manufacture of the popular Scottish drink, Irn-Bru. A.G. Barr is the largest manufacturer of soft drinks in the United Kingdom...
has launched its Irn-Bru product throughout the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. The Jeffrey International Group have been appointed as the distribution and marketing partner. The Irn-Bru is bottled locally. IRN-BRU is available in all retail outlets in the UAE. Spinneys
Spinneys
Spinneys is a high-end supermarket chain in the Middle East which begun as railway provision merchants, and expanded to a grocery firm importing British Empire goods to the Mandate Palestine...
, Lulu and Co-Operatives stock the product.
Norway
Irn-Bru entered the Norwegian market in May 2008. They had to withdraw from the market again in 2009 as a result of problems with production agreements and lack of funding for proper marketing efforts, and Irn-Bru can not be bought in NorwayNorway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
as of February 2010.
They were believed to be sponsoring the Adeccoligaclub Mjøndalen IF
Mjøndalen IF
Mjøndalen IF is a Norwegian sports club from Mjøndalen, Buskerud, Norway.-Football:The club have won the Norwegian Cup three times, 1933, 1934 and 1937...
in 2009. This later turned out to be fraud carried out by a third party company, and Mjøndalen IF never received any sponsorship from Irn-Bru, even though the team played the 2009 season with Irn-Bru marketing on their shirts.
United States
Irn-Bru and Diet Irn-Bru have been formulated since 2002 by A.G. Barr plc to meet the regulations for food coloring of the U.S. Food and Drug AdministrationFood and Drug Administration
The Food and Drug Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, one of the United States federal executive departments...
. Ponceau 4R
Ponceau 4R
Ponceau 4R , SX purple) is a synthetic colourant that may be used as a food colouring. It is denoted by E Number E124...
used in the UK formulation is prohibited by U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Food and Drug Administration
The Food and Drug Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, one of the United States federal executive departments...
(FDA). Barr uses alternative food and drink colourants manufactured by a US Company approved by the FDA. The product labelling also meets US labelling standards on nutritional information and bar code. Compliant Irn-Bru is solely imported by Great Scot International in Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
, who supplies distributors and retailers throughout the US. It is only supplied in 500 mL.
A soft drink called 'Iron Brew' is made by Foxon Park
Foxon Park
Foxon Park is a soft drink brand produced by Foxon Park Beverage Company. The company is located in East Haven, Connecticut and has been in business for more than 80 years. Their sodas are a traditional accompaniment to the New Haven-style pizza sold throughout the area, and they are also served at...
(est. 1922), a local bottler in East Haven, Connecticut
East Haven, Connecticut
East Haven is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 28,189. The town is just 3 minutes from downtown New Haven...
. 'It is tough to describe Iron Brew', says Foxon Park's web page, noting that it 'has its roots in old Scotland.' It's promoted as combining cola
Cola
Cola is a carbonated beverage that was typically flavored by the kola nut as well as vanilla and other flavorings, however, some colas are now flavored artificially. It became popular worldwide after druggist John Pemberton invented Coca-Cola in 1886...
, cream soda
Cream soda
Cream soda is a sweet carbonated soft drink, often flavored with vanilla.-History and development:A recipe for cream soda—written by E.M. Sheldon and published in Michigan Farmer in 1852—called for water, cream of tartar, Epsom salts, sugar, tartaric acid, egg, and milk, to be mixed together, then...
, and root beer
Root beer
Root beer is a carbonated, sweetened beverage, originally made using the root of a sassafras plant as the primary flavor. Root beer, popularized in North America, comes in two forms: alcoholic and soft drink. The historical root beer was analogous to small beer in that the process provided a drink...
flavours.
Another manufacturer was Shipstones Brewery, Nottingham date of origin is not known. The oldest surviving unopened bottle is from circa 1970
Further reading
- Davidson, Alan. Oxford Companion to FoodOxford Companion to FoodThe Oxford Companion to Food is an encyclopedia about food. It was edited by Alan Davidson and published by Oxford University Press in 1999. It was also issued in softcover under the name The Penguin Companion to Food...
(1999), "Irn-Bru", p. 407.
External links
- Official Irn-Bru web site
- A.G. Barr corporate site for Irn Bru products
- Irn-Bru in Australia web site
- Irn-Bru in the US web site
- Irn-Bru at everything2Everything2Everything2, Everything2, or E2 for short is a collaborative Web-based community consisting of a database of interlinked user-submitted written material. E2 is moderated for quality, but has no formal policy on subject matter...
- OFCOM A14 Advertising Report - Page 5 contains details of complaints regarding an Irn Bru advert
- Irn-Bru gallery
- Irn-Bru 32 promotional site
- Diet Irn-Bru promotional site