Danish brewing behemoth Carlsberg Group has selected The&Partnership to handle social media campaigns for its Carlsberg, Kronenbourg 1664, Grimbergen and Somersby cider brands, as well as influencer marketing support across its brand portfolio. The&Partnership media agency m/SIX will lead media strategy.
“Carlsberg Group is one of the world’s preeminent brewers and we are pleased to have been selected to support their increasing efforts in the U.S. market,” The&Partnership North America CEO Andrew Bailey said in a statement. “We look forward to working together to help them win new fans across the full spectrum of beer and hard cider enthusiasts.”
According to a press release, the assignment marks Carlsberg Group’s first “significant social media efforts” in the U.S. as well as the first time Carlsberg Group has turned to an outside agency to handle social media.
The&Partnership’s work for Carlsberg Group will kick off with a “Timeless Pairings” social activation promoting Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc, a witbier from the French brewery designated as the “Official Beer of New York Fashion Week.”
Carlsberg Group acquired Kronenbourg, which was founded in Strasbourg in 1664, in 2008. A variety of Belgian abbey-style ales is brewed in the Kronenbourg Brewery under the Grimbergen brand. Carlsberg Group developed the Somersby cider brand in 2008 and has since introduced it in over 46 markets globally.
The precise size of the assignment is unclear at this time. The Carlsberg account is believed to be worth more than $100 million globally, though social media is, of course, a small fraction of that.