Advertising agency, McConnells, has won a significant slice of the Harp advertising account in a four-way pitch that included the incumbent agency, Irish International.

The pitch was for a new Harp Rock Filtered brand and while there is no starting date as yet for the television campaign, given the timing of the pitch, it is likely that it will be sometime later this summer.

According to Harp brand manager, Mr Paul Kelly, Irish International will retain the main Harp business "for the foreseeable future". He said the agency's mainstream campaign "has improved the brand image both north and south as well as turning around volume sales". McConnells already has some Guinness business its Smithwicks advertisements consistently feature in advertising awards.

However, the agency will have an uphill struggle in giving the new Harp brand the all-important urban street cred crucial to the 1830-year-old males who make up its core market.

While the brand's image at home is far from cutting edge, the situation is completely reversed in the US where it is the largest selling premium imported beer in New York.

Such is its trendiness that it recently appeared in an episode of Friends and was the cool drink of choice in the movie Good Will Hunting.