NEW YORK Carlsberg USA, the domestic arm of Carlsberg Breweries in Copenhagen, Denmark, is working with Cossette Post here to relaunch the Danish beer in the U.S.
The campaign, set to break in 2005, will most likely eschew traditional advertising in favor of guerilla and event marketing in key urban areas, “where the super premium beer market is based,” said Lance Smith, president and COO of the agency.
The shop began working with New Canaan, Conn.-based Carlsberg in August. The hire followed the end of Carlsberg’s distribution arrangement with Labatt USA in May. Carlsberg then formed Carlsberg USA, which gave the company full control of its marketing and sales initiatives, according to a statement on the company’s Web site.
The client chose Cossette Post following a two-month review that began in May and included New York-based small to medium size shops, said Carlsberg USA president Mike Mitaro. Mitaro said in past years marketing for the brand was “primarily promotional and tactical.”
While the company plans to substantially increase its consumer advertising, “you’re not going to see advertising on the order of the big brands. You’ll see a steady build over time,” Mitaro said.
Carlsberg is the 15th best-selling beer in the world, but in this country captures only a small following, Mitaro said. The company’s goal is to become a major European import in the U.S. over the next 10-15 years, he said.
Cossette was “just very enthusiastic behind our brand and understood what Carlsberg is all over the world and what it can be here,” said Mitaro.
While the agency will initially work only on Carlsberg beer, Smith said he hoped to expand the relationship to other brands, including Carlsberg Elephant, Tetley’s English Ale, Tuborg and Double Diamond.
Carlsberg Taps N.Y. Shop for Domestic Promotions
