Friday, December 4, 2009

Carlsberg: The Secret


Yesterday saw the launch of the latest Carlsberg ad for the Irish market, but this was no ordinary ad launch. Not only does the new ad, "The Secret", move away from the style of advertising that we'd all be used to with the premium larger brand, but the ad was premiered on Facebook.

The ad aims to highlight the secret of Carlsberg’s brewing success, celebraing the fact that Carlsberg are responsible for perfecting the secret of brewing consistently quality lager. As the ad tells us, back in 1883 Professor Emil Chr. Hansen discovered the method of isolating pure yeast culture. The resulting yeast was called saccharoymces carslbergensis - the secret of Carlsberg’s brewing success. First to isolate pure yeast, and with a discovery that would revolutionise the brewing industry, Carlsberg didn’t keep its findings to itself but rather shared its knowledge with other master brewers. It still forms the basis of all lager brewing today!

And why give it away? Because Carlsberg knew that the original could not be beaten.

The ad itself mirrors more of a Guinness style ad, with huge production value and stunning creative. The story follows a horseman’s epic journey as he races across 19th century Europe, delivering the newly discovered brewing yeast from Carlsbergs to a rival brewer. This epic quest is brought to life in something more akin to a Hollywood blockbuster then a tv ad. It is simply stunning.

The ad was developed by Peter Owens Advertising and directed by Johnny Green. It was produced by Knucklehead and post produced by Framestore. The music for the ad was specially composed by Paul Raeburn.

Speaking of the new advertisement, Justine Donohoe, Marketing Manager, Carlsberg said, “This is an epic dramatisation of a true story, which gives consumers another reason to believe why Carlsberg is probably the best lager in the world!”




Interesting Carlsberg facts you may not have known...

  • Carlsberg’s process to isolate a single pure yeast culture was verified in person by Louis Pasteur who visited the Carlsberg lab on a number of occasions. Pasteur had a history in this area having worked on a similar process with the wine industry & written a book on beer – ‘Etudes des biers’
  • Carlsberg developed the ph scale
  • Carlsberg developed the method for calculating the protein content of substances ranging from foodstuffs to fertiliser and fossil fuels. The Kjeldahl method, was developed in the Carlsberg labs by Johann Kjeldahl, head of Chemistry, and is still the standard method used worldwide today
  • Carlsberg pioneered steam brewing & refrigeration techniques
  • Carlsberg founder, JC Jacobsen (1811-1887) and his son Carl (1842-1914) made an immense contribution to the architecture and cultural life of Copenhagen, and inspired the construction of many monuments and buildings including; The Little Mermaid, the Danish Museum of Art and Design and the impressive Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, which houses one of the largest collections of antique art in Northern Europe
  • Carlsberg is run by a Foundation - One of the first acts of the Carlsberg Foundation was to fund the rebuilding of Frederiksborg Castle and establish the Danish National History Museum
  • Each part of the Carlsberg logo, designed by Thorvald Bindesbøll in 1904 for the launch of Carlsberg pilsner, is constructed from the body part of an elephant!

No comments: