Carlsberg has launched its first major global brand offensive since 2001, choosing Singapore as the launch market as it attempts to solidify its premium brand positioning.
The new drive aims to tighten the friendship premise featured in its five-year old 'World of friends' platform, and offers a new tagline — 'It doesn't get any better than this.'
The new drive aims to tighten the friendship premise featured in its five-year old 'World of friends' platform, and offers a new tagline — 'It doesn't get any better than this.'
The TVC, which will run regionally, features a group of stylish consumers enjoying their beers in front of a football match. The ad works in contrast to Carlsberg's previous 'Friends' spot, which offered a rowdy pub singing and celebrating with Carlsberg bottles.
In Asia, Carlsberg vies for dominance with key rival Heineken in the premium brand category, along with a slew of mass-market local players in each country. Globally, the beer ranks fifth in terms of market share, one spot behind Heineken.
The decision to choose Singapore as the launch location may have derived more from speed than strategy, with Carlsberg Singapore general manager Hans Hallen noting that Singapore was the first to finish producing the new commercial, and hence the first to air the TVC.
While the DDB-spot was a collaborative effort between DDB Singapore and DDB Hong Kong, Hallen added: "Singapore produced the new TVC. We think it's fair that when we do the work, we get the glory.
"A brand is a living thing; it's always in transition. This latest evolution tightens the 'World of friends'. However, you've got to be careful about revamping your brand too often, otherwise you might be seen as trying to be all things to all people. One hallmark of a good brand is consistency."
Carlsberg will also conduct a raft of below-the-line activities in each of its markets. In Singapore, the brand will tie up with MediaCorp for its third annual 'Carlsberg Friendliest Radio Personality Award'. Carlsberg also plans to roll out a new look for its bottle, peeling off the labels for a 'label-less' look. "We believe that our new bottle is a good fit for up-scale clubs and pubs," Hallen said.
According to Carlsberg's 'Asia Strategy' report, released in late 2005, the brand is pinning its hopes on strong beer market growth in the region; the Asian market is expected to grow by 22 per cent between 2003 and 2009.
