Labatt Breweries of Canada is hoping Copper strikes gold south of the border.

Copper, a dark beer launched early this year in Canada, is being rolled out nationally by Labatt U.S.A.

It is now available in nine states, and could perform better there than in Canada.

Steve Hauser, senior marketing manager of Labatt U.S.A., says u.s. consumers are more interested in darker beers than Canadians.

‘We’re not particularly sophisticated beer drinkers down here, but we’re getting more sophisticated,’ Hauser says.

‘A lot of consumers want an amber-colored product on the bar next to them to show they’re in the know,’ he says. ‘They’re hearing and reading a lot about dark beer, and it’s current and topical.

‘We are tapping into a certain trend right now, whether that trend turns into a long-term business, I don’t know.’

Hauser credits the strong reception and consumer demand in border states such as New York and Michigan to Labatt’s ‘X and Y’ tv campaign in Canada.

Since the Canadian launch, Labatt has worked hard to change the perception of dark beer from one of a heavy beer to that of a more refreshing, drinkable brew.

The brewer has encouraged beer drinkers to try Copper with bar promotions, sampling events and advertising.

Today, Copper commands less than a share point of the national Canadian beer market.

u.s. advertising for Copper is handled by Hill Holliday, of New York, and consists mainly of point-of-purchase, with some radio, using the tagline, ‘Taste worth searching for. Labatt Copper. Discover it.’