How did Carlsberg get a 9X increase in website traffic
17 December 2019
Celebrating famous football sponsorship across Facebook and Instagram. As Liverpool Football Club headed into the 2019 season, Carleberg decided to show there support by brewing a special red beer to match the teams notorious all-red kit, then used Facebook and Instagram to generate excitement and positive brand associations with its sponsorship club.
A very special brew
Founded in 1847 Carlsberg is a global brewer, with headquarters located in Copenhagen Denmark and present in 100 markets around the globe. Carlsberg has been a major sponsor of Liverpool FC one of the most famous football clubs, for more than 25 years.
Positive brand association
Carlsberg wanted to reinforce the strong connection between Liverpool FC, its supporters and Carlsberg by engaging in conversation with fans worldwide.
Social promotion
This project was a collaboration between Carlsberg’s creative agency Crispin Porter+Bogusky Copenhagen and the creative strategy unit Facebook Creative Shop. In preparation of Liverpool FC’s performance in the 2018 UEFA Champions League final, Carlsberg pledged to develop a special one-off red beer if Liverpool won. Brewed with red barley to correspond with the colour of the famous all-red kit that Liverpool Fc players have sported since 1964. Liverpool FC, unfortunately, did not win the 2018 final, however, due to the excitement that the announcement created Carlsberg decided to go ahead with the beer as a way of lifting morale and fans spirit. The campaign began originally on Facebook with the post “In 1964, we went all red. Today so does Carlsberg”. Carlsberg sent a special Red Barley box containing a bottle of the special limited-edition beer, and a video message from Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, to influencers and Liverpool fans who were active in their local fan community. Facebook and Instagram ads spread the word about the campaign globally, using short vertical videos ads and the hashtag #allred. Liverpool FC Facebook groups worldwide held special Red Barley viewing parties to share photos of the beer and associated merchandise over social media. Owning a Red Barley box or even a bottle of the special beer became a badge of pride within the global online community with fans taking pictures of their bottle and posting it on social the campaign grew. The campaign generated coverage in sports magazines and newspapers around the world. The following year, Liverpool went on to win the UEFA Champions League in 2019.
The final score
Carlsberg successfully used the power of globally connected fan networks on Facebook and Instagram to spread the word about its special red beer and celebrate its sponsorship and commitment to Liverpool FC. Between May and July 2019, the campaign achieved:
19X return on ad spend
7.2-point lift in the association between Liverpool FC and Carlsberg
