Carlsberg honours local Sabah and Sarawak heroes with artist-edition cans and filters

Carlsberg Smooth Draught is celebrating the rich heritage and pride of Sabah and Sarawak by honouring local heroes in its "Raikan kebanggaan Sabah and Sarawak" ('Celebrating Sabah and Sarawak') campaign. 

As part of the campaign this year, Carlsberg partnered with three local heroes - Sarawak's Olympic diver Pandela Rinong (pictured left), Sabah's K-pop sensation Isaac Voo (pictured centre) and Miss Universe Malaysia 2020 Francisca Luhong (pictured right) to release artist-edition cans. 

The cans are a toast to Borneo's celebrated figures and encourages Sabahan and Sarawakians to embrace their roots. By teaming with these three personalities, Carlsberg aims to honour the creativity, resilience and spirit of Sabah and Sarawak. 

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"When I think of Sarawak, the word peace comes to mind—it is similar to the kind of feeling I get from being near the waters. Growing up I was surrounded by people from all walks of life who have inspired and encouraged me to turn my love for diving into something greater. Through my achievements, I hope to inspire everyone to celebrate our unique heritage," said Rinong. 

"As a Sabahan, I’ve always appreciated the love we share for music and dance, which has played a huge role in my success as a K-pop idol. I hope to inspire others just as my community has inspired me," said Voo. 

On top of the artist-edition cans, the campaign featured two unique Instagram filters - one for Sabah and one for Sarawak. Consumers can use the filter to scan any Carlsberg Smooth Draught can to unlock an immersive AR experience that showcases iconic Bornean symbols such as the hornbill and orangutan, the traditional longhouse, the classical string instrument sapeh as well as the rare rafflesia and the magnificent Mount Kinabalu. 

“Sometimes you don’t realize how much heritage impacts your life. I never would have thought it would bring me to one of my biggest life milestones. It’s a big part of our culture to dance, to celebrate. So, whenever my community celebrates my wins together with me, I feel an immense sense of pride for making my community proud," said Luhong. 

Earlier in April, Carlsberg released a new global brand campaign titled "Do the best things begin with curiosity? Probably." The campaign aims to uncover a universally recognised human truth that the best things in life come to the curious.

The campaign leads with a brand film sitting across social, digital, TV and film. The story takes a trip through the ages to discover how, through a spark of curiosity, music was born. The witty, entertaining film, synonymous with Carlsberg’s marketing heritage, features modern-day clubbers, jazz-era swingers, dancing Roman Legionnaires, flautist shepherds and even whistling cavepeople.

The brand film showcases how Carlsberg wants to bring fun to social occasions, especially when getting together with friends. It also used the iconic, late-80s breakbeat track, The 900 Number by The 45 King. The original track is featured alongside samples authentic to instruments in each era featured in the ad. 

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