With the brief to develop 'the best football pub in the world', Carlsberg's Eternal Optimist Pub will pop-up in The Drum at Wembley, opposite Wembley Stadium, at 2pm on 9 October before the England versus San Marino Euro qualifier game. A total of 1,000 England fans will visit the experience, having won the opportunity through a series of consumer promotions.
The Marketing Store identified three challenges associated with pubs and vowed to rectify them – queuing for beer, not being able to view the entertainment from certain areas of the pub and a lack of entertainment itself. From this, the pub has been designed to include a central bar with a consistently-stocked, 360-degree conveyer belt, easy access to Carlsberg either by tap, tray service and garden fridge and a number of gaming options.
TV presenters and football fans Jeff Stelling, Ian Wright and Paddy McGuiness have been drafted in as hosts of the event, along with England football legends Chris Waddle and Matt Le Tissier, who will participate in a Q&A session. Celebrity chef Tom Kerridge will be serving up food from his especially-prepared Ultimate Pub Menu and 1990s alternative rock band The Lightning Seeds will perform a live set.
There will also be a raised stage, an Xbox zone featuring computer game Fifa 15, a games room, a number of screens and projectors that will stream both internal and external events, and a room themed around the traditional beer garden.
Dharmesh Rana, Carlsberg senior brand manager, said: "As the beer of football, we’ve earned the respect of fans. The Carlsberg Fan Squad set out at the start of the year to listen to fans to understand what we could do to make football even better. This insight helped us develop our TV campaign which is now being brought to life for 1,000 deserving fans at Wembley with the ultimate fan pop-up."
The activation is part of The Marketing Store’s ongoing contract with Carlsberg to promote its sponsorship of the England Football Team and Premier League.
Neil Warburton, senior experiential account director at The Marketing Store, added: "The Eternal Optimist will deliver an immersive and unforgettable experience for 1,000 lucky Carlsberg competition winners. The unique programming of talent, technology, Michelin-starred food, football and of course Carlsberg, will further bring the Fan Squad’s mission to life."
Comment below to let us know what you think.
For more in-depth and print-only features, showcases and interviews with world-leading brands, don't miss the next issue of Event magazine by subscribing here.
