Babycham

History

Francis Showering first submitted his new drink to the Three Counties Agricultural Show and other agricultural shows in the late 1940s and early 1950s where it was found to be popular. Initially called "baby champ", it later became Babycham.

Launched in the United Kingdom in 1953, Babycham was the first alcoholic product to be advertised on British commercial television, the campaign being launched in 1957, with the drink originally marketed as a "genuine champagne perry".{{cite book |access-date = 2006-04-20 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060315210305/http://www.waitrose.com/food_drink/wfi/notesandmiscellany/nostalgia/0306090.asp |archive-date = 2006-03-15 |url-status = dead

In 1965, the Babycham Company sued the food writer Raymond Postgate, founder of the Good Food Guide, for an article in Holiday magazine in which he warned readers against Babycham, which "looks like champagne and is served in champagne glasses [but] is made of pears". The company sued for libel, claiming the article implied it was dishonestly passing off Babycham as champagne. The judge in his summation stated that the article was defamatory, but that the jury could consider it as "fair comment" rather than a factual statement. The jury found for Postgate, and he was awarded costs.

During the 1960s, Showerings stopped brewing beer to concentrate on cider and perry. Production of Babycham went from 300 dozen bottles an hour to 2,800 dozen. At the peak in June 1973 144,000 bottles were being produced each hour. To supply the production line, perry pears were planted in Somerset, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Hereford. Until suitable trees could be grown locally, pear juice was imported from Switzerland. The profits helped to pay for the landscaping of the gardens at the company's headquarters at Kilver Court.

In 1978, the Babycham company was sued by French Champagne producers for abuse of their trade name. The case (H P Bulmer Ltd and Showerings Ltd v J Bollinger SA [1978] RPC 79) hinged on the fact that Babycham had been described in advertising as 'champagne perry' or 'champagne cider'. Champagne producers were litigating to protect their goodwill but because there would not actually be confusion, they were unsuccessful.

Sales were boosted in the 1980s by advertising using the slogans "Nothing sparkles like a Babycham" and the more contemporary "Hey, Babycham".

The brand's appeal waned with the rise of cheaply available alternatives and a tightening up of the regulations governing alcohol advertising on television. 1993 saw a major relaunch of the brand and the reintroduction of the chamois mascot, a giant model of which can be seen outside the Shepton Mallet factory where the drink is produced. 1997 saw the reintroduction of Babycham Babe beauty contests that had been popular in the 1960s. The iconic 'Babycham' logo was designed and created by John Emperor of Collett Dickenson Pearce.

The Showerings' company was bought by Allied Breweries in 1968 and with it the Babycham brand. The sons of the original Showerings founders went on to produce Brothers Cider, and in 2021 bought the Babycham brand back from its then owner Accolade Wines for an undisclosed sum.

In the 2010s

During 2011 sales were reported to be increasing, with approximately 15 million bottles sold each year.

In 2013 a trademark dispute between Accolade Wines and the Cath Kidston home furnishings company was taken to the High Court.

References

References

1. (2021-12-07). "Babycham deer revamped to celebrate its Somerset homecoming". BBC News.
2. (23 December 2013). "How Babycham changed British drinking habits". BBC News.
3. Thorpe, Vanessa. (2023-02-26). "Make mine a Babycham! Return of the drink that added sparkle to the 70s". The Observer.
4. (1995). "The Anglo / The History of the Anglo Bavarian Brewery Shepton Mallet 1864 – 1994". Haskins.
5. "Babycham Collectables". Miller's antiques and collectables.
6. (1995). "The Anglo / The History of the Anglo Bavarian Brewery Shepton Mallet 1864 – 1994". Haskins.
7. Law Reports, Oct 30, Nov 2, Nov 4, 1965, The Times Digital Archive
8. (1995). "The Anglo / The History of the Anglo Bavarian Brewery Shepton Mallet 1864 – 1994". Haskins.
9. (1995). "The Anglo / The History of the Anglo Bavarian Brewery Shepton Mallet 1864 – 1994". Haskins.
10. "Exam notes".
11. [https://www.hatads.org.uk/news/208/A-History-of-Babycham A History of Babycham], History of Advertising Trust. Retrieved 2023-08-03.
12. "Babycham Sparkling Perry". Diffords Guide.
13. (1995-09-08). "OBITUARY: Francis Showering".
14. (1995). "The Anglo / The History of the Anglo Bavarian Brewery Shepton Mallet 1864 – 1994". Haskins.
15. Devlin, Edward. (2021-12-07). "Brothers Drinks brings Babycham back under control of Showering family".
16. Beckett, Fiona. (1 November 2011). "Why is Babycham popular again?". [[The Guardian]].
17. Kerslake, Ross. (14 January 2013). "Blast from the perry past: Babycham". The Drinks Business.
18. "Babycham In Cath Kidston Logo Legal Battle". Sky News.
19. (13 February 2013). "Babycham sues Cath Kidston over leaping baby deer logo". Telegraph.
20. (15 February 2013). "Babycham logo row could cost fashion firm Cath Kidston deer". Western Daily Press.