Carling is leveraging interest in the start of the new English Premier League season with an integrated, multi-phase campaign led by a mascot-themed TV spot and activated around stadiums through a kit swap initiative called #ShirtAmnesty.
The initial warm-up spot features brand duo Dylan and Jon, regular Carling ad characters, starring in a commercial who’s narrative follows a fictitious football club mascot training to improve on his poor performance last season.
Developed with agency Creature, the national TV spot is just one phase of Carling’s current £3.6m campaign leveraging the 2015/16 season kick-off.
A participatory strand of this campaign is led by former England footballer Jimmy Bullard and revolves around a free Cling football shirt swap.
Launched with a comical image of Bullard recreating the classic American Beauty image by sprawling in a bed of football shirts (rather than roses).
Player break your heart? Swap your old named shirt for a brand new one if they leave your team #CarlingShirtAmnesty pic.twitter.com/GwCvn21bOS
— Carling (@carling) June 24, 2015
This programme, focusing on the summer transfer window, sees Bullard and Carling give fans a chance to trade in their old football shirts bearing the names of recently sold players for a new kit at no cost.
This initiative is promoted by a Jimmy Bullard ‘Shirt World Record Attempt’ online film,
and a web video featuring the former player outlining the ‘Shirt Swapping Rules’.
The campaign is supported across all of Carling’s own platforms and channels and sees a branded van travel to grounds up and down the country.
.@JimmyBullard entertaining the queue and showing he's still got some skills at the #CarlingShirtAmnesty van earlier pic.twitter.com/83UQAIjFX6
— Carling (@carling) August 8, 2015
Full time in the first game of the season and full time at the #MUFC #CarlingShirtAmnesty too. Lots of happy fans pic.twitter.com/suFOxyJ24K
— Carling (@carling) August 8, 2015
Another related campaign strand sees Carling offer £10 off voucher for football shirts to consumers who purchase the beer in-store, or in pubs and bars throughout the UK.
The combined advertising, on- and off-trade promotion was supported by TV, out-of-home and digital activity.
‘This new campaign targets a unique time of the year where, uninhibited by their team’s actual performance, fans have renewed hope, dreams and aspirations about the prospects of the season ahead,’ explains Jim Shearer (the Carling brand director at Molson Coors).
‘Carling will be doing its bit to get fans ready for the season ahead, as excitement and anticipation builds’
In addition to Creature’s commercial creative (which was directed by The Sniper Twins through Smuggler), the below-the-line and experiential aspects of the campaign were run by Life and Havas Sports & Entertainment Cake respectively.
Media work was run by ZenithOptimedia.
‘The Carling Shirt Amnesty is the next step in Carling giving consumers amazing stuff at moments that already excite them,’ said Creature creative partner Ben Middleton.
‘We can’t wait to get out and about and get fans excited about the season ahead’.
Comment
The multi-platform marketing push aims to generate football fever in the lead-up to the new season.
It is effectively an ambush campaign and runs directly against rival and official beer of the Premier League Carlsberg who’s own ‘If Carlsberg Did Kickabouts‘ campaign ran simultaneously.
This campaign follows Carling’s current UK marketing strategy which is built around celebrating key British moments.
The previous iteration of this strategy was Carling’s Spring campaign, called ‘Brighton or Barbados’, which gave consumers a chance to experience the bank holiday of a lifetime for £49.
The objective for Carling is to energise and drive long-term sustainable growth of the familiar favourite lager category by focusing on adding value through promotions at the moments that matter most to consumers.
Links
Carling Website:
Carling Twitter:
Carling YouTube:
https://mail.google.com/mail/?pli=1#inbox
Creature London Website:
http://www.creaturelondon.com/
Havas Sport & Entertainment Website:
Life Website:
http://www.lifeagency.co.uk/
Zenith Optimedia Website:
