Carlsberg will continue to revitalise its flagship beer brand in the UK with the release of a collection of limited-edition packaging.
The København Collection is named after the Danish for Copenhagen, and forms part of £15 million’s worth of planned marketing investment aimed at connecting with millennial drinkers.
Inspired by the simplicity of Danish design, each pack represents a different ingredient in Carlsberg beer – the barley, the hops, the brewers’ yeast – and will be available across the UK off-trade between February and September in a variety of can and bottle formats.
They include a new premium 330ml bottle and outer packaging, which will also be available to the UK’s on-trade.
It comes after the ‘bold’ relaunch of Carlsberg Export in November, which included the introduction of a new look and feel to reflect its Danish heritage and reinforce its premium credentials. The design features a nod to the Danish flag – the oldest national flag still in use – and ramps up its heritage cues with the signature of founder JC Jacobsen.
The limited-edition designs are available across 440ml cans and premium 330ml bottles.
The brewer will be hoping to arrest decline in consumption of its beer, which has slid consistently for the last three years. Since 2011, the company’s operating profit has fallen 14% from DKK 9.82 billion (€1.32 billion) to DKK 8.46 billion (€1.14 billion).
This is in spite of nominal increases to its group-wide revenues.
The exponential decline culminated in a drop in profit equivalent to more than €100 million in 2015, with Carlsberg blaming the result on decline in Eastern Europe.
Carlsberg UK vice-president of marketing Liam Newton said: “The København Collection is a bold launch for Carlsberg in the UK, marking 170 years of brewing excellence. Carlsberg has a remarkable place in the history of brewing when our founder, JC Jacobsen, and his team of beer scientists discovered purified yeast in 1883 – which changed the quality of lager that is enjoyed to this day. These designs communicate Carlsberg’s unique place in beer in a manner that we believe will engage millennials.”
It is the first time that the business has unveiled its new packaging since announcing its intent for a limited-edition collection last year.
The relaunch of the Carlsberg brand will be supported by a £15m campaign incorporating media and integrated consumer activity, launching in April. The campaign will celebrate the brand’s Danish heritage and taps into consumer demand for authenticity and the trend towards premiumisation in the beer category, Carlsberg said.
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