Carling Cup 2008 - The Carling Crowd.jpg)
We have been helping Carling with a novel sales drive based around a unique VIP experience for Sunday league football teams and their fans.Longbridge FC in Birmingham was the first to enjoy the experience earlier this year. More than 200 fans were treated to pre-match pyrotechnics, a professional PA announcer and opera singer Kathryn Sayles’ rendition of the national anthem. Carling’s objective through this activity was to increase sales primarily among 18–25 year olds, by putting itself front of mind when they have their post-match drinks. Media relations work successfully leveraged two channels previously underused by the brand: local media and digital. A viral clip was also uploaded onto several prominent sites such as YouTube.
As well as creating ‘push’, another objective of the activity was to engage Carling local sales forces. Feedback from sales shows that fun ideas like this are motivating for publicans and help build good relationships. Carling now plans to replicate the activity in other key areas.