Carlsberg staff read out mean 'piss beer' tweets in latest phase of Pilsner campaign
Carlsberg UK has released a video of its staff reading the mean tweets about its beer as it ramps up the promotion for its rebrewed pilsner.
Carlsberg pays off ‘piss’ promotions with staff reading out mean tweets
The surprising campaign has seen the brand promote disparaging tweets it's recieved from drinkers to highlight that its new pilsner tastes better than the beer it has been distributing in the market in the past, which it's now admitted ‘probably’ wasn’t the best in the world after all.
The latest wave of activity has seen it launch a video series capturing the shocked expression of Carlsberg staff who have been adhering to its “quantity over quality” strategy.
The admissions look to shine a light on the new Carlsberg Danish Pilsner, which has been "completely rebrewed from head to hop for a crisper, fuller flavour".
The spot riffs off of Jimmy Kimmel's Celebs Read Mean Tweets segment.
Liam Newton, Carlsberg UK’s vice president of marketing, admitted that “drinker’s interest in mainstream lager has waned” and this is the brand playing catch-up with the world.
“At Carlsberg UK, we lost our way. We focused on brewing quantity, not quality; we became one of the cheapest, not the best. In order to live up to our promise of being ‘probably the best beer in the world’, we had to create a better beer. We will be offering the people that posted mean tweets about our old brew a taste of our new Pilsner to see if they agree.”
Five promoted tweets helped kick off a £20m marketing campaign – two were banned for containing expletives. These read:
‘And they manufacture Carlsberg a stones throw from where I am right now but that also tastes like the rancid piss of Satan.’
‘CarlsbergUK adverts are top, shame the beer tastes like cat piss’
‘my pint of carlsberg tastes like naan bread’
‘carlsberg tastes like stale breadsticks’
And finally: ‘Our generation have trust issues because we were all raised on those awesome adverts saying Carlsberg is the best lager in the world only to finally taste the shit and realise it’s like drinking the bath water that your nan died in.’
The work was delivered by Fold7, Initiative and Clifford French.
It's an interesting change of tone from the brand that is fondly remembered for its long-running 'Probably' work.
Vote for the campaign below in The Drum's Creative Works.
