Carlsberg Beer was launched in Romania today (May 2) joining its successful sister brand, Tuborg, in the expanding central European market.
The beer is brewed and packaged by United Romanian Breweries, in which Carlsberg Breweries has an indirect stake of 15.5 per cent.
Carlsberg Beer in Romania has an abv of 5.4 per cent and will be sold on draught and in 330ml and 500ml bottles. The bottle is provided with a thermo-sensitive label on which the words 'Probably the best' appear at the appropriate consuming temperature (5 degree - 8 degree C). These words reflect the famous 'Probably the best beer in the world' slogan of Carlsberg Beer.
The launch campaign for Carlsberg Beer, by the local agency Prospero, uses the concept of e-mail communication to highlight the key values of the brand - international, tradition, success, prestige and quality.
The campaign is represented on television by the Carlsberg Beer international commercials and in print by a series of locally-developed ads. The TV campaign started on April 19th with a 10 second teaser that features the bottle (partially, on close-up) and the slogan 'Probably the best beer in the world'. The campaign will be continued with a 20 second TV commercial and a number of print ads in dailies and magazines targeted especially at male consumers.
Speaking at the launch at the World Trade Center in Bucharest, Carlsberg Breweries Marketing Director Alex Myers explained the reasons for entering the market.
"Romania is an extremely attractive country for us, having a strategic location in this part of Europe and a huge developing potential. After the success in Romania by Tuborg, we thought that the moment has come to launch one more international beer brand on the local market - namely the 'crown jewel' of our group, the Carlsberg brand.
"The Romanian consumers are already prepared for this special brand, they know how to value and understand a quality product like Carlsberg, even if the price is a little bit higher. For Romanians, beer means more than a mere drink - it means entertainment, socialising, humour, but also quality. We try to produce and offer 'Probably the best beer in the world', of which we are very proud."
The United Romanian Breweries plant was officially opened in May 1998 with a start-up capacity of 500,000 hl. Today, it has 400 employees. United Romanian Breweries was ISO 9002 certified in 1999 as the first company in the Romanian beverage and foodstuffs industry. Production capacity was recently expanded with a canning line, which was inaugurated in May 2000.
The entire plant covers 21,000 square metres and is one of the most modern of Carlsberg Breweries' European breweries.