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Above, below left Pepsi and Carlsberg have courted consumers with football-themed cans and promotions Right In recent years brands have used Augmented Reality to enhance promotions and create a richer brand experience on from being seen as a sales promotion device to an integrated part of ‘brand equity’,” he explains. “That means that it’s not really sufficient to simply use the pack as a poster for star players, even though print techniques – even for limited editions – have evolved rapidly to permit excellent quality images. “There is a growing trend for brands that really ‘get’ the sponsorship concept to design the packaging around the team or event they are sponsoring, with the sponsor’s brand taking a low-key ‘endorsement’ role in favour of the sponsored brand.“This effectively elevates their role from ‘corporate sponsor who paid money for the right to use these images’ to ‘a diehard fan just like you’. It takes confidence, but skilled brand designers know exactly how to ‘infuse’ a brand feeling into a pack design without having its logo dominating the design and shouting ‘We own this!’” Carlsberg followed this route by launching football-themed limited-edition packaging to celebrate its sponsorship of Euro 2016. The new packaging remained consistent with the overall Carlsberg and Carlsberg Export brands, but aimed to make an on-shelf impact with consumers during the tournament with eye-catching designs and on-pack promotions.“Limited-edition packaging for Carlsberg and Carlsberg Export was a major part of our UEFA Euro 2016 campaign,” explains David Scott, Marketing Director for Carlsberg UK. “By featuring the tournament’s official branding – including its logo and colour scheme – we were able to create real standout in store, and reinforce the brand’s association as the beer of choice for people watching matches at home.”The Carlsberg packaging used the brand’s classic green colour scheme, alongside the tournament’s standout red, blue and white palette, and featured images of stadiums, supporters and footballs with the word “probably” present to reinforce the brand’s iconic “If Carlsberg Did…” campaign. Carlsberg Export’s limited-edition packaging was developed with a premium gold and silver design showcasing a football boot with the studs replaced by iconic French landmarks, such as the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe, in tribute to the tournament’s host country.According to Spencer Buck – the Creative Partner and Founder at Taxi Studio, which designed the packaging – it was important to create something that stood out from usual sport-related packaging. “Translating the UEFA Euro 2016 football tournament to brand packaging is a well-trodden path… so from the outset we were determined to find an original expression, avoiding the obvious football clichés,” he says. “Carlsberg Export is a premium beer, so it demanded a sophisticated, original and witty idea.”Jonathan Turner-Rogers, Associate Creative Director at Taxi Studio, adds: “When we presented our idea, ‘The Bootiful Game’, complete with stud detailing containing well-known French landmarks, it was a ‘back of the net’ moment. To boot, the boot is the most premium, crafted bit of football kit in the player’s locker room – providing a subtle, yet suitable link to Carlsberg Export’s more premium, crafted credentials.”‘BY FEATURING EURO 2016’S LOGO AND COLOUR SCHEME, WE REINFORCED THE BRAND AS THE BEER OF CHOICE FOR PEOPLE WATCHING AT HOME’DAVID SCOTT, MARKETING DIRECTOR, CARLSBERG UK14 EUROPEAN CAN MARKET REPORT 2016 SPORTS SPONSORSHIP