The UEFA Euro 2016 tournament, culminating in the highly anticipated final, drew massive global viewership. For brands, it presented a golden opportunity for exposure. However, in France, strict regulations like the Loi Evin prohibit television advertising of alcohol. A study reveals how Carlsberg, a major sponsor, seemingly navigated these restrictions during the 2016 UEFA European Championship, including the final match, through what can be termed “alibi marketing.”
This research, initially published in BMC Public Health, investigated Carlsberg’s advertising strategy during the last seven games of UEFA Euro 2016. Despite the French ban, the study meticulously documented over 70 minutes and 746 instances where Carlsberg subtly promoted its brand, and by extension, its beer. They achieved this by prominently featuring taglines like ‘Probably’ and ‘… the best in the world’, cleverly detached from explicit alcohol branding, yet strongly associated with Carlsberg.
This seemingly innocuous approach resulted in a staggering estimated reach. Across the seven analyzed games, adult viewers were exposed to alcohol advertising impressions between 92.3 million and 2.1 billion times. Alarmingly, children aged 4 to 17 years were also exposed between 6.9 and 163.3 million times. These figures underscore the pervasive nature of Carlsberg’s brand promotion during the tournament, including matches leading up to and including the final of the 2016 UEFA Euro.
The study’s findings reinforce earlier observations of high logo exposure during the final match and suggest this was consistent throughout the knockout stages and likely the group stage matches as well. With an anticipated global TV audience of 150 million per game across 230 territories for UEFA Euro 2016, the potential reach was immense. Even considering UK audience demographics as a proxy, an estimated 12.9 million children were exposed to Carlsberg’s branding.
Carlsberg's traditional trademark logos are based on an original hand-drawn design by Thorvald Bindesbøll in 1904
Carlsberg logo evolution, showcasing the traditional design. This image represents the brand’s heritage and visual identity, elements leveraged in their “alibi marketing” strategy during the 2016 UEFA Euro final and other matches.
Interestingly, the study noted a dip in “alibi content” during the France versus Iceland match. This anomaly is potentially attributed to Iceland’s own stringent alcohol advertising laws. Iceland’s “Afengislog” explicitly bans all alcohol advertising, suggesting a possible reduction in Carlsberg’s promotional activities during this particular game to align with Icelandic regulations, even in broadcasts transmitted internationally.
Carlsberg’s deep-rooted connection with football is undeniable. Sponsoring numerous football clubs and tournaments, including eight UEFA European Championship finals since 1988, football is integral to their brand identity. Prior to the 2016 UEFA Euro, Carlsberg anticipated a static Western European beer market, except for a “positive impact” from the tournament. They actively leveraged their UEFA EURO 2016™ sponsorship, viewing it as a crucial event for the brand, cementing football sponsorship as a cornerstone of their commercial strategy. Carlsberg themselves have described football as “a great fit,” “part of Carlsberg’s DNA,” and a “key pillar” for their brand.
Carlsberg’s marketing ingenuity lies in its “alibi marketing” strategy. While their classic logo, rooted in a 1904 design, remains iconic, they’ve expanded their marketing to include phrases like ‘Carlsberg – probably the best lager in the world’. This phrase, trademarked in Europe in 2000, and the standalone word ‘Probably’, trademarked in 2010, became potent brand alibis. These alibis, detached from direct alcohol imagery, allowed Carlsberg to maintain brand visibility even under strict advertising regulations like France’s Loi Evin.
Academic research highlights the effectiveness of such slogans in building brand equity. They act as “direct carriers of the brand’s equity,” reinforcing consumer liking and brand recall with repeated exposure. In the competitive beer market, even subtle product differences necessitate strong communication strategies. Slogans like Carlsberg’s aim to shape brand perception, create awareness, prime associations, and enhance memory recall.
This “alibi marketing” tactic echoes previous instances in other industries. For example, Philip Morris International used “barcode” designs as Marlboro substitutes in Formula One racing to bypass tobacco advertising bans. While those alibi logos were eventually withdrawn, Carlsberg’s case is arguably more significant as their alibis are registered trademarks. By strategically deploying “Probably” and “….the best in the world”, Carlsberg effectively circumvented the Loi Evin, as noted by marketing observers who lauded it as a “creative” solution and hailed Carlsberg as a “big winner of Euro2016 with Probably.” Glendinning (2016) even calculated a 50% prompted recall rate for Carlsberg’s ‘Probably’ slogan during UEFA EURO2016, demonstrating the campaign’s success.
Despite being considered stringent, the Loi Evin has faced criticism for being controversial and ineffective, even from its creator, Claude Evin. The alcohol industry has consistently challenged it, leading to modifications, sometimes influenced by political figures. Section L3323–3 of the French Public Health Code prohibits advertising that, through design or distinctive signs, recalls an alcoholic beverage, even if promoting other products. The study argues that Carlsberg’s “Probably” message, being a registered trademark and distinctive sign, indeed recalled alcoholic beverages and thus contravened the Code. While some Loi Evin restrictions have eased since 1991, the television advertising ban for major events remains. Carlsberg, however, defended their Euro 2016 marketing, stating they adhered to their own “strict marketing standards” and legal requirements. The study authors suggest re-imposing the ban on alcohol advertising in all sports grounds.
The study acknowledges limitations, including the inability to directly measure the impact on alcohol consumption and assumptions about continuous viewership during matches. Future research could explore advertising exposure within stadia and analyze earlier tournament stages.
The findings highlight Iceland’s success in minimizing children’s exposure to alcohol advertising at UEFA Euro 2016 through clear legislation. This offers a valuable lesson for other nations seeking to strengthen alcohol advertising regulations and prevent circumvention tactics. Furthermore, lawmakers should be mindful of “alibi marketing” extending to low or alcohol-free products using similar branding, and “responsible drinking” campaigns that still feature alcohol trademarks. These subtle tactics can blur the lines, especially for young, impressionable audiences. Robust future legislation must address these nuances to effectively protect minors from alcohol advertising’s pervasive reach, even during major sporting events like the 2016 Uefa Euro Final.
Carlsberg's traditional trademark logos are based on an original hand-drawn design by Thorvald Bindesbøll in 1904
A visual representation of Carlsberg’s long-standing sponsorship of football, including UEFA European Championship finals since 1988. This image reinforces their commitment to football and the context of their marketing activities during the 2016 Euro final.
