You might have seen the new advert for Carlsberg in Ireland called ‘The Secret’. It is based on a true story from 1883, where Carlsberg scientist Professor Emil Hansen discovered the method of isolating pure yeast culture. I was approached by their PR company about the new advert and have written about it over at YouTube.
However you might also have seen Carlsberg in Facebook and so I took the opportunity to learn more about their use of Facebook as part of their social media marketing programme – thanks to Kate Fitzgerald of WHPR who helped me with this interview.
I hope this provides you with some insights for how you can use a Facebook page to connect to your audience – remember to join me on Facebook for exclusive social media marketing tips and resources.
Enjoy!
Krishna: When were the Irish Facebook page for Carlsber launched?
A. Carlsberg has two Facebook pages – The Carlsberg Comedy Carnival Facebook page went live on June 24th 2009 and the Carlsberg Football page went live on August 7th 2009 (see screen shots in the photo album above).
Krishna: What tips do you have for having grown the page to over 7000 fans across your two pages?
A. It’s crucial to initiate conversations, comments and respond to consumers in a timely and relevant manner. Facebook advertising, viral applications, display advertising, EDM, and incentives (ticket giveaways etc.) drive growth. Exclusive content such as photography, video etc. leads to interactions, which leads to more fans.
Maximise the opportunities offered via official sponsorship partnerships (i.e. FAI) and in particular “activate” events (i.e. Ireland football games in this case) to facilitate maximum consumer engagement and noise. However, this must be done in a manner, which is not “Facebook Newsfeed spamming” as this will result in mass unsubscribes.
Krishna: What gave you the idea to share the new ad with your Facebook community first and what reaction did you get?
A. Social networks have become a huge spoke of the new relationship marketing model. And what better way than to develop that relationship than providing consumers with exclusive content and also allowing them to provide feedback.
In building a two-way relationship with consumers within this environment, we are also increasing our exposure to non-fans, who see the value in becoming one.
Along with the long suffering Irish football fan, Carlsberg is a longstanding supporter of the Ireland Football Team. It was a natural evolution to bring the two together and also to facilitate sharing the benefits of commercial sponsorship (i.e. Ticket allocations) with the grass root fans.
Krishna: What benefits has the brand seen from developing a Facebook page or other social media platforms you participate in?
A. We have seen direct engagement with the consumer, open dialogue, and the opportunity to develop tactical and strategic messaging. Our sponsorships provide a strong platform for social media outlets with live and relevant messaging. e.g. football.
Krishna: Given that you are marketing on a platform that is accessible to all on the web and the Facebook community is for age 13 and over, what considerations do you take into account about what you do and the content you share on your Facebook page?
A. The pages are restricted so that they can only be viewed by consumers who are over 18. All content is constantly moderated to ensure its appropriateness.
Krishna: What other ways does Carlsberg embrace social media either inside or outside the organisation across the globe and what are their plans for expanding communications in this area in 2010?
A. Social media is becoming increasingly important for Carlsberg globally as we look to communicate with consumers in really meaningful ways and change the nature of the RM relationship to a 2 way dialogue.
Globally we’ve been embracing social media platform in different ways in different markets but it’s fair to say that Ireland is leading the way in this space which is probably down to our positioning in this market as an edgy and innovative brand.
Krishna: What’s the top 2 or 3 things the brand has learnt from using social media as part of their communication and marketing programme?
A. We have developed a real understanding of the behaviour of consumers within this environment. Timely and relevant communications are essential in order to maintain credibility.
It is quite a fickle environment and consumers can turn off quite quickly if they feel you are not talking to them. Incentives are also extremely important. Consumers will always view you as a brand and expect ‘win’ opportunities and exclusives.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
You can watch the TV ad of Carlsberg – The Secret here:
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