THE HEADSCRATCHER

How do you take a very English beer, a very English tournament and make it relevant to Irish football fans?

Having just signed a new sponsorship deal with The FA Cup, Carling wanted to make the most of the opportunity to promote their brand association with the contest. However, they knew that as the number-one standard lager in England and a proud sponsor of a predominantly English football event, they needed to take a nuanced approach to score with fans of the beautiful game in Ireland and not be shown the red card. 

THE BIG POSITIVE IMPACT

We knew that localisation was the key. Carling needed a distinctly Irish answer to unlock a very English brand problem. So we searched for an authentic angle to leave fans with lasting memories (and maybe a selfie with a Premier League legend).

We quickly identified the perfect campaign ambassador and made our big signing: Denis Irwin, Ireland’s most decorated player and television sports presenter. Denis became the face of a fan-first experience that gave Carling the local hero it needed to celebrate the beautiful game. 

We hit the road with a series of events across Ireland to coincide with key FA Cup match dates. Our ‘Watch with Carling’ live viewing parties featured free pints, music and the craic with the. man himself, Denis Irwin.

We added two key media partners to the line-up – Midlands 103 and Cork’s 96 FM – to bring regional reach and community connection. Our tactics also included a strong social media presence with content pushing the roadshow events and the campaign message. Semi-permanent branding in the venues allowed Carling to stay visible to football fans long after the final whistle.

THE HEADLINES

Rather than just another matchday promo, we created a culturally fluent answer that delivered credibility to an interesting cross-cultural brand challenge. 

• 8 events hosted across Ireland with Denis Irwin as ambassador
• 2 sold-out showpiece events for the semi-finals and final
• 1,000+ pints sampled in key football-viewing venues
• Permanent and semi-permanent venue branding kept Carling visible

The result? An Irish stamp on the FA Cup. A stronger link between Carling and football. And a delighted client who saw the promotion as a superb performance off the pitch and a clear win for their brand.