The ‘Trust Your Tastebuds’ campaign – part of a £14m spend for the Carlsberg brand this year – will feature two periods of activity through outdoor billboards and social media.
The first part of the campaign will launch this week, followed by a second run in June. There is no specific on-trade activity planned.
Its central premise is based on a taste test, conducted in 2013, where 75 of 109 of participants expressed a preference for bottled Carlsberg Export over bottled Stella Artois. The participants were all male, aged 18 to 40, and regular drinkers of bottled lager.
Carlsberg said the new initiative is the first standalone campaign for Export in 10 years. The 5% ABV lager is available in bottles and on draught in the on-trade.
Key pillar
David Scott, director of brands and insight at Carlsberg UK, said that while Export has always been a key pillar of the Carlsberg family of brands alongside the core Carlsberg lager, and specialist Jacobsen range, this research offers a “fantastic opportunity to celebrate Export, throwing a spotlight on its fantastic taste”.
He explained: “The taste test graphically illustrates how well Carlsberg Export performs against its nearest competitor brand.
“In a category that can sometimes see ‘default purchasing’, we wanted to seize this opportunity to remind drinkers that this premium pilsner is a great-tasting product.”
Scott added: “Our Carlsberg brewers are extremely proud of our flagship premium pilsner because of its unique flavour and pleasing taste, so it’s no surprise to us that drinkers agree.
“Latest market research shows that nearly one-in-five pints purchased in a pub or bar in the UK is a premium lager, so it is a critical category for consumers – for both on and off-trade outlets.”
Packaging makeover
To complement the campaign, the Export bottle label has been redesigned, with both the signature of Carlsberg founder JC Jacobsen and the trademark golden hop leaf given greater prominence along with the main ingredients.