NEWCASTLE Brown Ale has returned to tradition after a move away from the olde-world image made no difference to sales.

Four years ago, marketing gurus decided the word ale should be dropped from the label because it carried an image that could not compete with modern lagers.

For the first time in 70 years, a new logo - minus the three letter word - was created to give the brand a contemporary new look.

But four years later, the advertising men have been forced to admit that it did not make any difference.

An estimated 400 million bottles have been sold during the four ale-less years - about the same rate as in previous years.

But the decision was taken last month to bring back "ale" as part of a label re-design to incorporate sensible drinking advice.

David Jones, spokesman for Scottish Courage, a subsidiary of Scottish and Newcastle Brewers, said yesterday: "I am not sure many people will have noticed the word is back, or that it was even missing in the first place."

However, Scottish Courage made much of the 2000 decision, claiming it was part of an exercise that it hoped would move it away from the outdated images suggested by the word "ale".

Mr Jones said: "We took the opportunity to remove the ale-descriptor as part of a label redesign and label reprint for the year 2000, so the cost of the change was minimal.

"However, it was a decision based on our consumer research at the time that suggested the lagers of the day were rising in popularity and that we needed a shift of image to compete.

"During the four years, there was no sales difference and now, with the sensible drinking advice going on the labels, the redesign gave us the chance to bring the "ale" back."

Mr Jones said there was no sense of embarrassment at the brewery about the move.