In many countries Carlsberg shows TV commercials, where three fans are drinking beer out of bottles at a football stadium. Isn’t this a misrepresentation of the truth, since neither bottles nor beer with alcohol is allowed in stadia during the UEFA EURO 2008™? 

Yes, you’re right: there will be no bottles at any of the stadia or in any of the fan parks in Austria and Switzerland. This is due to obvious security reasons as the organizers can’t risk fans getting hurt by somebody throwing a bottle in a passionate moment of a football match. Therefore, at the stadia and in the fan parks you will only be able to buy beer from plastic cups that are completely safe.

As for the beer itself it is also correct that at the stadia, Carlsberg – in accordance with the guidelines set up by UEFA – will serve non-alcoholic beer, and in the fan parks Carlsberg – in accordance with the guidelines set up by the local authorities – will serve real beer as well as non-alcoholic beer.  

Then why do your commercials show bottles in the stadia?

These commercials are produced in what we could call “Marketing Land”. The main target group for this commercial is the fans sitting at home with friends and family celebrating a good football match. The commercial is not intended for the fans in the stadium. 

We wanted to tell a story of three friends celebrating the upcoming UEFA EURO 2008 at home in their apartment – obviously with a Carlsberg in hand – and how fans can win tickets for the matches with Carlsberg. And then following the three friends into the stadium. In order to do this in a very brief TV commercial we had to very quickly establish a Carlsberg beer in the picture.

When designing a TV commercial you have to get your message across to the viewers in just a few seconds. Typically, TV commercials run for 5 to 30 seconds, so you need to be very careful to communicate in a way the viewers are able to comprehend in a snap of a moment.

Why couldn’t you just do the same commercial with a plastic cup, like the ones that you will actually be able to buy in the stadia and fan parks?

Like I said, this is Marketing Land, and some things work better than others in a short TV commercial. A branded beer bottle like Carlsberg’s is a clear and unmistakable image. A plastic cup is much less clear – and, besides, it does sound right, when three friends attempt to touch plastic glasses for a toast.

Don’t you think fans will feel cheated, when they see the commercial and later find out that they can’t have their beer from a crisp bottle during the UEFA EURO 2008, but only from a plastic cup.

No, absolutely not. True football fans are fully aware that you will never find bottles at a football event like this.

Also, in our experience as marketing people, viewers are completely aware of the differences between marketing and the real world, so we are not worried that anybody will be disappointed.

On the contrary, we are sure that the thousands of fans that Carlsberg will be able to bring to the UEFA EURO 2008 will have a fantastic time. We at Carlsberg are looking forward to add to the party among true football fans.