Carlsberg issues fun challenge to Vietnam consumers to say its name properly

Carlsberg might be a well-known brand globally but it is still trying to solidify its presence in the Vietnamese market. It decided to have fun with the pronunciation of its name by reintroducing itself to Vietnamese consumers with a phonetic spelling, /Car-z-berg/.

The Danish beer brand recognised that its name might be challenging for some consumers to pronounce and instead of shying away from this challenge, it turned it into a campaign to build name recognition and give people the chance to sample their beer for the first time. Created by creative consultancy agency Happiness Saigon, an interactive billboard was created with the phonetic spelling of the brand. This Carlsberg billboard is equipped with a voice-activated tap - dispensing beer whenever someone is able to get the name correct.

Made possible through a custom-made AI in collaboration with BLISS Maker Studios, the AI uses voice inputs from hundreds of people pronouncing “Car-z-berg” and was trained to distinguish the most accurate entries possible. The Carlsberg AI doesn’t just power the voice-activated tap, it also powers the campaign website. A social video of the on-ground activation, billboards across the city of Ho Chi Minh, YouTube pre-roll, and Spotify ads all lead to the microsite. Consumers who attempt to nail the pronunciation of the name will win some ice cold beer. 

While the brand did not reveal the monetary value spent for the campaign, Happiness Saigon told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE that this campaign is at an "inferior spending of main competitors with the aim of driving equal or superior share of voice through the power of the idea".

“Working on Carlsberg for all these years, our team realised something...it is SO difficult to pronounce. So difficult in fact, we want to reward anyone who can pull it off with a complimentary beer. We think it’s a fun and smart way to increase brand recognition and product trial, especially for the launch of the new product in Vietnam," Hoàng Vũ Hải, Carlsberg's brand manager, said.

“Carlsberg has been in Vietnam for many years, but mainly distributed in Central and Northern Vietnam (as the brewery is based in Hanoi, Northern Vietnam). This year marks a milestone as Carlsberg is ramping up distribution in the South and therefore needed an introduction campaign that makes the brand name roll of the tongues of Southern Vietnamese," said Alexandre Lorgeron, account director at Happiness. “In addition, we wanted an idea that also makes people taste Carlsberg for the first time to realise it’s probably the best beer in the world," Lorgeron added.

Meanwhile, Happiness' partner, strategy and growth, Nhat Qui, said the main ROI is to lift the T.O.M.A brand awareness to drive recall and consideration. Hence, the team needed an idea that drives memorability. The ads show Carlsberg's name twice and the name is also mentioned up to eight times in the radio spot. "We will know more in a couple of weeks’ time, but the first indications are very positive," Nhat added.

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