Carlsberg launches World Cup promotions

Carlsberg has announced a huge range of incentives and promotions for licensees in the run up to this summer's World Cup.

Under the strapline: "2006… Probably" the brewer will also spend £10.5m on TV advertising throughout the year as it tries to tap into every England fan's hope that captain David Beckham will lift the World Cup in July.

Graeme Mitchell, on-trade controller for Carlsberg UK, believes the opportunity that exists for licensees during the World Cup cannot be emphasised enough.

"Our research shows that 37 per cent of people prefer to watch England in the pub and one in nine pints of on-trade draught lager is consumed whilst watching the football.

With 64 matches in the tournament there are plenty of opportunities for publicans to benefit from Carlsberg's long-standing relationship with football."

The brewer will be encouraging pubs to take advantage of the whole build up to the World Cup, by producing branded point of sale material for the FA Cup Final in May as well as England's two pre-World Cup friendlies. This will include posters, flags, wigs, pint hats and staff uniforms.

Carlsberg will also be rolling out a "Three Lions" embossed World Cup pint glass which Mr Mitchell believes will a "must have item" during the tournament and beyond.

Other point-of-sale material available are branded font wraps, similar to the ones used during Euro 2004.

In-pub promotions will include opportunities for customers to win one of these limited edition pint glasses, while licensees will have the opportunity to win a VIP trip to the European Super Cup Final in Monaco next season.

To do this they must find one of five "golden" pint glasses, which have been hidden in five 24-packs of pint glasses going out to pubs across the UK.