How Carlsberg translates the idea of 'everything starts from curiosity' to HK audience

Carlsberg has assimilated its global campaign theme “Do the best things begin with curiosity? Probably” into Hong Kong to ignite people's curiosity further. 

The campaign centres around the core message - curiosity, which Carlsberg has always taken pride of. In fact, curiosity has been at the forefront of everything Carlsberg has done since J.C. Jacobsen opened the brewery doors in 1847.

From inventing the pH-scale, winning a Nobel prize for developing click chemistry in 2022, to breeding climate-tolerant plant types for future generations, curiosity leads Carlsberg to innovate in beer technology constantly, which allows everyone to benefit from Carlsberg’s diverse and high-quality products, and establishes the brand’s position as the pioneer of modern beer.

The global campaign is done in partnership with creative agency Fold7 and media agency iProspect.

During an interview with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Victor Cheong (pictured left), managing director, Carlsberg Hong Kong and Taiwan, said the campaign latched on this universal truth that curiosity is essential for a fulfilling life. "So that's what we heard from consumers, right? And this development to the idea that the best things in life come from curiosity."

"So I think there's also this larger purpose beyond that, but all stems from curiosity. So I think it's also very unique that the company takes this as something that comes from the kind of DNA of Carlsberg and uses it to enhance the identity of the brand," he said.

Resonating with Hong Kong audience

In fact, Hong Kong is the first of the 120 markets to launch the multi-faceted campaign. Cheong said the local team decided to jump on the global campaign as the Hong Kong market is readily available and they ended up being the first to deliver the local adaptation.

As Hong Kong is seen as a fast-paced and progressive city, the brand wishes to bring audiences closer to its consumer consumption movement that is related to beer, said Kevin Choo (pictured right), marketing director, Carlsberg Hong Kong and Taiwan, during the interview.

The campaign's main brand film, led by Carlsberg ambassador Alfred Hui features a spinning game called "Truth or Dare", which is famous among Hongkongers.

The video captivates audiences with Hui’s portrayal of versatile personas on the screen as he embarks on a journey to transition into a Shanghai tycoon, a "Dai pai dong" lover and a football enthusiast. The Hong Kong version is done in collaboration with local creative agency Sunny Idea, social media agency Vane Communication and PR agency MSL.

"We want to arouse this forgotten idea that everything starts from curiosity. And it's also the fact that Carlsberg has been in Hong Kong for many years. And we want to remind consumers, that there's a lot more things about Carlsberg that they have not discovered," Choo said.

Targeting its loyal consumers and mass audiences in Hong Kong, Choo said Carlsberg wants to continue to recruit young consumers, so it makes sure the content and campaigns are relevant to the Millennials and Gen Zs.

"That's why in our communication, we developed a couple of occasions such as 'Dai Pai Dong', which is familiar to the older and younger consumers, and most importantly we featured the Hong Kong Stadium moment as we felt a lot of Hong Kong people grew up with that kind of setting. That is something that we want to make sure, even though Carlsberg is an international brand, but we are not forgetting the roots of the local culture in Hong Kong," he added.

Hui was chosen as the brand's ambassador to front the campaign due to his professionalism as a dentist and his humble attitude, Choo said. "We believe that Hui has the correct characteristic that fits the brand. And he constantly shares ideas with us on how to better engage with our Hong Kong consumers, so there's a lot of time that we spent time co-creating content by getting his idea."

Carlsberg's main brand film, print, and 3D advertisements are rolling out across Hong Kong, debuting first in Tsim Sha Tsui and Mong Kok.

Tapping into the younger segment

Additionally, the “Quench Your Curiosity – Win A Trip to Denmark!” lucky draw and Hui’s personal YouTube channel “鏗gry廚房”, will bring the audience on a journey to explore Carlsberg in both the online and offline world.   

Cheong said Hui's interest and passion for food also perfectly aligns with the brand. "It also matches the occasion when beer drinkers are craving for food [...] Hui does a really good YouTube channel, and he actually engages us to support him. So I think that's a very ideal situation, when brands start to step into celebrity endorsement."

The lucky draw will be held in two phases from now until 4 August, customers can earn chances to win a trip to Denmark simply by purchasing Carlsberg beer. 

The Carlsberg truck also debuted in July, rolling into bustling districts across Hong Kong such as Tsuen Wan and Prince Edward. The truck features thrilling games and exciting gift giveaways once consumers purchase either two pints, one set of bottles, or one beer tower of Carlsberg draught beer at designated restaurants and bars.  

To celebrate the spirit of curiosity, Carlsberg will also host engaging content with exciting prizes on its social media platforms. Hui’s personal YouTube channel series, "鏗gry廚房", is due to venture beyond Hong Kong for the first time for a special episode. Hui would travel with Carlsberg to the brand's origin, Copenhagen, Denmark, to explore the "Home of Carlsberg". 

By taking advantage of co-creating content with Hui and his social platforms, Choo said Carlsberg can effectively tap into the younger segment as young consumers like content.

"They don't want brand-led content, they want content that is relevant to them."

When it comes to measurement of returns on investment, Choo said this can be classified into business and marketing objectives. For business objective, the brand wants to make sure that there's an incremental sales of Carlsberg beers.

"We want to make sure that this campaign actually helped them recruit new customers. We always track our product volume and distribution so that we can make sure that the availability of our beers continues to be widened to reach more consumers."

On the marketing front, the brand usually tracks its brand health on the global level, from the funnel awareness, trial consideration to brand love.

On the other hand, the hop leaf from the Carlsberg logo also takes centre stage in the local campaign, as it transforms into an even more distinctive brand icon that runs consistently across all touchpoints, driving recognition on top of the brand’s iconic green shade. 

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