The Sparkling Stag: How Babycham Conquered the Ladies’ Market and Lost its Shine

The image of a green bottle of Babycham Sparkling Perry next to one of its distinctive, gold-rimmed coupe glasses, complete with the leaping fawn logo, is a potent symbol of 1950s and 60s British social history. This aggressively advertised, sweet, and low-alcohol drink was designed specifically to appeal to women in an era when pubs were still overwhelmingly male domains.

The Rise of the "Girl's Drink"

Babycham was first introduced by the Showerings family in Somerset in 1953, but its popularity exploded throughout the 1960s and 70s. It was a sparkling perry (made from fermented pears), served chilled and topped with a cherry, and it was deliberately marketed to fill a void.

• Pub Culture Shift: Before Babycham, a woman in a pub was often expected to order a shandy, a port and lemon, or maybe a half-pint of beer. Babycham was positioned as a glamorous alternative—a "special occasion" drink that was distinctly feminine.
• Aggressive Advertising: The brand’s advertising campaign was groundbreaking and instantly recognizable, using the phrase "The happiest drink in the world" and featuring its fawn mascot. The iconic television commercials positioned Babycham as the perfect drink for a girls’ night out, a celebration, or a casual social drink. The glass, often a stemmed coupe with the fawn logo, became a visual hallmark of the brand.
• The Appeal: It was sweet, fizzy, and light, making it palatable to those unaccustomed to the taste of traditional beer or spirits. It made women feel sophisticated and included in the previously intimidating pub environment.

The Problem of Perception

By the late 1970s and early 1980s, the very things that made Babycham successful became its downfall. As women's social and economic freedoms grew, so did their taste for more complex and drier drinks.

• Changing Tastes: The "sweetness" that was once appealing began to be seen as cloying. As wine, lager, and cocktails became widely available and fashionable, Babycham was increasingly dismissed as unsophisticated and old-fashioned.
• The Stigma: What was once perceived as "glamorous" was rebranded by the next generation as "childish" or "tacky." The image of the "girl's drink" became a cultural liability, associating the brand with a less liberated, pre-feminist era.
• End of an Era: The company struggled to modernize the image of a brand so heavily defined by its 1960s identity. It was overtaken by new sparkling competitors and eventually faded from mainstream popularity, though it retains a strong nostalgic following today.

Babycham is more than a drink; it is a delicious piece of social commentary, perfectly illustrating how marketing can define an era, and how quickly cultural tastes—especially those tied to identity and gender—can change.