…It would probably be creatively rich and content-led and engage with a wider demographic cohort than the clichéd football patriotism that dominated its previous Euro 2012 ‘Fan Academy‘ work.
Carlsberg’s leverage strategy for this year’s UEFA tournament is to ‘do it better for the fans’ through a campaign built around Carlsberg’s well known ‘probably the best’ umbrella marketing concept and blending inventive ticket and prize giveaway strands with traditional advertising, events and supporter-led activities and by pioneering a new digital platform for live consumer engagement.
‘As with all our football partnerships, our ambition throughout UEFA EURO 2016™ is to the make football better for the fans. We have a number of clever campaigns that will make fans feel more involved in the tournament such social voting, meeting the trophy and legends, plus actually getting fans onto the pitch where their heroes have played in the Semi-Final only the day before,’ explains Carlsberg’s senior marketing manager for football Richard Whitty.
‘There will be more to come as we get nearer to the tournament, but we’ll be doing everything with the usual Carlsberg wit, humour and football insight.’
With three weeks still to go before kick-off, 2016’s broad and deep activation has thus far included:
> A global launch event fronted by brand ambassador Peter Schmeichel to coincide with the draw.
> A ‘Best Euro Goals’ recreation partnership with YouTube sensations The F2 Freestylers and fans to coincide with the 100 Days To Go mark (see case study).
> A couple of hidden camera street stunt giveaways rewarding small acts of kindness with Euros tickets featuring a heavily made up Chris Kamara on the London tube (see case study) and a street team of ‘Charity Chuggers’ (see case study).
> A nationwide ‘Pubstitution‘ (a patriotic pub name rebranding scheme)
> An international phase in which brand ambassador Marcel Desailly reworks the French Revolution.
