Football focus

CARLSBERG-TETLEY: Iain Paton, Carlsberg-Tetley's director of brands ­ lagers, has no qualms about the money spent sponsoring the England national team and Liverpool Football Club ­ a figure that is kept secret. It brings in extra sales of Carlsberg and also increases the footfall in pubs showing football matches. "Unless you are at the match, the pub is the only place to watch football. You get the total football experience, you just have to watch the energy that comes out of that ­ and the pub industry is starting to realise that too." And some of the figures that Paton quotes reveal the busi-ness logic behind C-T's football sponsorship. "Around Liverpool, there is a significant uplift in sales whenever they play ­ it is around three to four times normal." Even when the team isn't playing, the "tribal loyalty" to the brand means that Carlsberg commands 30% of the market in the Merseyside region against a national average of 15%. An uplift in sales also occurs whenever England play. Paton is also banking on seeing sales soar when the European championship matches are played in Portugal next year, because Carlsberg is involved in the sponsorship. Just over a year ago, C-T embarked on a £27m campaign to rebrand and reposition Carlsberg and Carlsberg Export. "The relaunch centred on product improvement and imagery," he says, "and we are seeing the results. Sales are up 12% for Carlsberg and up 19% for Carlsberg Export over the last year. New distribution is driving sales and we are in 3,000 more places than 12 months ago and we have now got momentum behind the brand." C-T is not alone in bringing in new technology and the relaunch was accompanied by the introduction of a vortex dispense system that cuts pouring time by one third to 14 seconds a pint and also produces a tighter, thicker head on the pint. "People drink so much with their eyes. They expect a good pint and, if they get it, they will come back for more." The vortex system, together with two stylish fonts for the mainstream and premium lagers, are being installed for all of C-T's customers ­ a process that should be completed within the next year. Heineken's exit from the standard lager sector has seen Carlsberg win a number of new accounts. "For us, the number of wins has been the icing on the cake or, should I say (he adds with a laugh) the froth on the pint." The threat posed by Interbrew's recent deal to take over Castlemaine XXXX doesn't seem to bother C-T's lager brands director. "We'll just have to wait and see." Nor does the prospect of Heineken or Interbrew offering discounts and special promotions to tempt new customers bother him. "We've seen it happen in all markets. The way forward is to grow the (lager) category. Seeing new brews is good for the category." He also welcomes the steps taken by brewers to focus on product quality. "The essential core for any pub is fresh beer. In many pubs, we see overfacing on FABs (flavoured alcoholic beverages). It is incumbent on brewers to focus on product quality, because if people don't come into the category, we will lose them to FABS." Paton feels licensees could do more to promote lager sales. He cites one example where customers were sold pitchers of Carlsberg during a football match ­ "we doubled sales". Carlsberg's sponsorship of the FA Cup ­ it is one of four partners ­ should also help keep the brand in consumers' and licensees' eyes. C-T is offering licensees the chance to display the FA Cup in their pub. Just imagine what that would do for sales. Brands: Carlsberg, Carlsberg Export, Skol