If Carlsberg did campaigns they would cost £12 million

I honestly had no idea Carlsberg's ubiquitous “Probably the best” slogan had fallen into retirement. The phrase is so readily associated with the lager brand, that it's the first thing that immediately comes to mind whenever someone mentions the brand name. Indeed, the “If Carlsberg did” tagline has become a popular meme amongst uninspired wannabe comedians. As a case in point, just the other day a friend was telling me about his experiences in online dating, and let slip that at least five girls in the area had used the “If Carlsberg did girlfriends” headline to sell themselves. I genuinely shuddered.

The “If Carlsberg Did Supermarkets” ad marks the beginning of £12 million TV media campaign

Anyway, it's apparently been four years since Carlsberg actively invested in the campaign, but last night, the UK public got a blast from the past during the first ad break for grim ITV detective drama Broadchurch, when a new 30-second ad featuring the famous tagline made its televisual début. The “If Carlsberg Did Supermarkets” ad marks the beginning of £12 million TV media campaign, with the existing ad set to air for six weeks across all major UK channels and a 60-second version (below) available online. Carlsberg UK are making a monumental push with this ad, which they expect to have been watched by approximately 22% of UK adults by the end of today! The renewed investment in the brand follows a pledge made by Carlsberg UK CEO James Lousada last year that he planned to “Show a bit more love” for the brand this year.

If Carlsberg Did Supermarkets

The spot by 72andSunny Amsterdam introduces a fictional Carlsberg supermarket, which is “Probably the best supermarket in the world,” and falls in line with the comedic tone established in the brand's earlier pieces, which saw the brand supposedly mastering everything from football to the weather. A further two “If Carlsberg did” spots are planned for later in the year, with a wider push also planned across radio, OOH and sponsorships, taking the campaign through to the end of 2015. They will join a heritage that began back in 1973, when Saatchi & Saatchi unveiled the first “Probably the best” ad. Recently, the brand has gone for the less snappy “That calls for a Carlsberg” slogan, but after 4 years of dwindling sales (Carlsberg was the worst performing of the top ten lager brands last year), it appears they have understood that they were trying to fix something that wasn't broken. A common mistake in ad world.

The “If Carlsberg Did Supermarkets” spot by 72andSunny Amsterdam introduces a fictional Carlsberg supermarket

Dharmesh Rana, senior brand manager for Carlsberg UK, said the slogan “Remains one of the most iconic and recognisable in the world,” and that in some ways, it has become part of the consumer psyche, which is hard to argue with given my earlier statements. He adds that through the new campaign, they will “Begin to dial up the brand’s authenticity and heritage credentials,” which date back to brewing founder, JC Jacobsen in Copenhagen. He calls it the “Biggest investment in the brand in recent years,” and feels that by targeting certain programmes such as the afore-mentioned Broadchurch, Rude Tube, The Last Leg and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, they will reach “A much broader audience than ever before,” and re-capture the imagination of consumers.

Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer and struggling musician from Kidderminster in the UK. He doesn't believe Carlsberg is the best lager in the world, not even close. It does taste like the nectar of the gods when compared to Carling though.