The Irish stout is facing a number of challenges, not least being part of a flagging market sector. Ales and stouts are in long-term decline, with volumes falling by about 5% a year, according to Canadean, as lagers, RTDs and the cider-over-ice phenomenon have taken younger drinkers away.

Although Guinness has maintained its lead over rivals including Murphy's and Beamish, the traditional values that once differentiated it - in particular, waiting 119.5 seconds for the perfect pint - are out of touch with younger drinkers who have just waited nearly 10 minutes to get served at their local trendy city bar.

The brand flirted with a break from the waiting tradition in 2003, but ditched its FastPour pump after a three-month trial when customer feedback revealed a preference for the two-part pour. It is now making a point of the 'wait' in its current campaign, which features a pair of hands that perform a series of quirky movements while a pint settles.

Whether brand extensions such as Guinness-flavoured bread and limited-edition Guinness Marmite are enough to drive trial among younger consumers remains to be seen.

While updating its image remains key to safeguarding the brand's future - and Guinness is looking to an increase in its digital activity to draw in the technology-savvy youth market - it must at the same time be careful not to alienate its core, older drinkers. Apparent consideration by Diageo of moving Guinness production out of its 250-year-old St James' Gate brewery in Dublin could prove disastrous if it is followed through.

We asked Julian Spooner, director of Spooner Associates and a former marketing and strategy director at Guinness GB, and Pete Brown, founder of beer marketing consultancy Storm Lantern, which has worked with Guinness, what Diageo can do to revive its fortunes.

Diagnosis 1:

Julian Spooner director, Spooner Associates

I must declare my religion before I go any further - yes, I am a Guinness drinker. Cut me and I bleed black. That's the power of this great brand. In research groups, people will define themselves by their marital status, their job and their beer, if it's Guinness - and not always in that order.

There are two major problems with Guinness at the moment. The first is a two-way thing: love. When Guinness works, 'love and be loved' is the relationship with the drinker. It is this that is breaking down now.

The second is recruiting new young drinkers. This is key to the brand's health, and has been since its foundation in 1759. Guinness recruits become brand evangelists, are fiercely loyal and give a high share of their drinking pounds to the brand. For this it must make them love the brand and the product.

Diageo has lost sight of the need to nurture this relationship and is paying the price. But it can't expect ads to fix the problem. Like a new prime minister, there needs to be substance under the spin.

Remedy:

• Keep pressure on quality; it must be cold and fresh. Axe outlets that get it wrong.
• Recruit through an integrated one-to-one campaign: in outlets and relationship marketing, make them love the brand and feel loved by it. Bring back the birthday cards!
• Mobilise the brand converts and give them the tools to recruit others.
• Ditch the 'Oirish' origins - they are irrelevant to younger drinkers.

Diagnosis 2:

Pete Brown founder, Storm Lantern

Anyone at Diageo who thinks it's a good idea to close Guinness' Dublin brewery should maybe also give some thought to abandoning the famous two-part pour, making it paler - lager-coloured, say - brewing it in a shed just off the M1 and changing the name to something snappier - what about Harp? Oh, hang on...

Guinness is an unparalleled icon in the beer market, peerless in terms of quality.  The brand team that walks away from this kills the brand. 

Everyone I've ever met who has worked on Guinness knows what the real problem is - a problem that was recorded at least as far back as the 30s. People think it's heavy, harsh and bitter, a challenging taste, whereas it's actually silky, smooth and deceptively drinkable. They think it's a meal in a glass, whereas a pint of Guinness actually has fewer calories than lager.

Beer is about heritage, romance and tradition, whereas taste is transitory and often cyclical. Guinness has always stuck to its guns, and has ridden out all short-term trends. It should continue to do so.

Remedy:

• Step up sampling - confront the misconception about the product head-on by getting people to try it.
• Events with tastings of the many different Guinnesses available would only deepen people's appreciation of the brand.
• Don't waver on ritual, and don't lose the romance of the product.
• Try food pairings - why are so few people aware of what an amazing match Guinness is with chocolate desserts?

(Source: Media)