Let’s take a look at some of Carlsberg’s best marketing efforts.
Video content
In its most popular YouTube video of all time, Carlsberg sets up a ‘friend test’ whereby people call one of their friends and pretend they’re short of money in a dodgy poker game to see if they’ll come to the rescue.
Then the set explodes into an orgy of Carlsberg-branded euphoria, obviously.
This innuendo-laden mimicry of an erotic drama puts 50 Shades of Grey to shame.
And it really makes me want a beer, which I suppose is the desired effect.
I also like this series of short animations Carlsberg did as part of its Vintage Label campaign.
The clips looks really good and there are some genuinely interesting facts in there.
Experiential marketing
Writing a post about Carlsberg without mentioning its experiential marketing efforts would probably constitute a crime against journalism or something.
I’m talking specifically about its ‘Probably the best poster in the world’ campaign in London’s Brick Lane.
The poster dispensed free beer to a growing crowd of cheapskate daytime drinkers, and generated a deservingly massive buzz across social and mainstream media.
I know that @carlsberg want me to tweet this – but I can't stop myself. Hats off pic.twitter.com/k7OCNv2Knk
— Stuart Aitken (@stuart_aitken) April 8, 2015
Free beer!!! #ProbablyTheBest #carlsberg @CarlsbergUK @carlsberg pic.twitter.com/rFhTEpDUWZ
— Mitch (@HORTOX) April 8, 2015
Here’s the official video of the campaign from Carlsberg’s YouTube channel:
Carlsberg uses some really nice imagery on Twitter to promote its range of non-drinkable grooming products.
Probably the best beer beauty products in the world. Read more: http://t.co/y8W7iDpWhO #BeerBeauty pic.twitter.com/LtfxFDCiuQ
— Carlsberg (@carlsberg) June 18, 2015
In this great example of hashtag hijacking, Carlsberg gives a nod to Steven Gerrard in these tweets. It may not be Liverpool’s official sponsor anymore but clearly there’s still love between them.
If Carlsberg did captains they would be #ProbablyTheGr8est. Good bye and good luck Captain Fantastic! #StevenGerrard pic.twitter.com/yyPANek8lb
— Carlsberg (@carlsberg) May 24, 2015
#ProbablyTheGr8est Captain in the World. Thank you for 17 legendary years together! #StevenGerrard #BPL pic.twitter.com/vhF3JaXXfy
— Carlsberg (@carlsberg) May 16, 2015
Carlsberg also makes great use of infographics on its Twitter feed, such as this amusing one about its founder being (probably) the world’s first hipster:
Happy 203rd birthday to our founder, J.C. (aka the original hipster)! pic.twitter.com/RVLffiG4nP
— Carlsberg (@carlsberg) September 2, 2014
Or this slightly more recent one urging people to take a break from social media and talk to actual people. Whilst drinking Carlsberg of course.
Today 8:30-9:30. Take a break from social media, have a Carlsberg with a real friend. #UnplugToReconnect #EarthHour pic.twitter.com/bSpOaaY9Uw
— Carlsberg (@carlsberg) March 28, 2015
Conclusion: probably the most successful use of humour in the marketing world
That might be pushing it slightly, but clearly Carlsberg has managed to hit the mark when it comes to using playful humour in its marketing campaigns.
The problem with brands trying to be funny is if they don’t pull it off the whole thing becomes a cringe-inducing mess, but it’s obvious Carlsberg really knows its target market and its content reflects that fact.
Perhaps I was a little bit harsh in my opening paragraph, too. I did once drink a really, really cold Carlsberg Export in a beer garden on a sweltering summer’s day, and do you know what? It was actually alright.
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