CARLSBERG TO SPONSOR 100 MALAYSIAN FANS TO UEFA EURO SEMI-FINALS IN UKRAINE!

KEE@FSWMAG.COM

I ALMOST FAINTED WHEN SOREN RAVN, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF CARLSBERG MALAYSIA, ANNOUNCED IN SUBANG PYRAMID THAT THE WORLD'S BESTESTEST BEER WILL BRING 100 MALAYSIANS TO WATCH THE SEMI-FINALS OF THE UEFA EURO SEMI-FINALS IN DONETSK, UKRAINE!

Soren Ravn, MD of Carlsberg Malaysia with the UEF Euro Trophy, flown into Malaysia for the first time. Named the Henri Delaunay Trophy, this new trophy is 18cm higher and 2 kg heavier than the one presented to Spain whose team won the Euro Cup 2008. This version is made entirely of sterling silver and Carlsberg had to hire 4 security guards armed with machine guns to ensure it does not get stolen in Kuala Lumpur!


At first I thought Soren Ravn meant 1 fan as he is not English and sometimes these Europeans get the English mixed up but Soren in Danish and speaks perfect English. Maybe he would bring 10 Malaysian fans which is a lot. But no, he repeated 100 Malaysian fans as in 'seratus' so I had to hold on to the edge of my seat to avoid collapsing to the floor in an embarrassing heap.

One hundred Malaysian visitors to the semi-finals in Ukraine. Of course the town Donetsk is unheard of in this part of the world and so is Ukraine, come to think of it as it used to be part of Soviet Union and now all we know and admire is Russia but since the semi-final will be held there, we are all game to go to Donetsk which I am told is a very nice city and not at all 'ulu' as feared. 

Each Malaysian footie fan selected to go wins an all expense paid trip worth RM 30,000 so the 100 footies will cost Carlsberg Malaysia a cool RM 3 million. However, being a Philistine, I am wondering how this excessively high figure is reached. I am a world class jet setter so here is my calculation; RM 5,000 for return airfare and less if plane is chartered come to think of it, RM 500 per night for 3 or 4 nights (the actual number of nights is still being finalised) which will cost RM 2,000 and less if two fans are sharing a room while food should cost RM 1,000 and ticket around RM 500 so the total is RM 8,500 per person which is already on the high side. 

Maybe prostitutes are provided like how the secret agents of the American Secret Service enjoyed in Cartagena, Colombia recently but I am told Ukrainian prostitutes are not that expensive compared to sophisticated, high class ones I met in Paris and London catering to the likes of that ex-French president contender and ex MD of IMF. Then again, even he had sex with his room maid who could not be classified as high class courtesan. 

So that leaves RM 20,000 unaccounted for as many of you have asked me. My advice is not to look a gift horse in the mouth and be grateful to God should you  win. It is not your money or the tax payer's money as Carlsberg is a private company!

This is how to be one of the Happy Hundred!

Soren Ravn, MD of Carlsberg Malaysia with the first winner David Sua Shang Toh who won a RM 30,000 trip to Donetsk, Ukraine to watch the semi-finals of the UEFA Euro semi-finals which I think is a 4-day or 3-day trip plus airfare, hotel, meals and ticket to match

Avid footies checking out the details of how to get to Ukraine to watch the semi-finals!

Soren Ravn announcing the arrival of the UEFA Euro 2012 Trophy....

The Trophy is unveiled in the presence of the ambassadors of Ukraine and Poland where the main matches will be held

Armed guards stand on duty to ensure no fans steal the cup!

100 Malaysian fans will get to fill the empty seats in the stadium shown on left on wall shaped like a Carlsberg bottle!

An even bigger surprise was the sudden and unexpected appearance of Peter Sch,eichel, the former Denmark goalkeeper who won Carlsberg Man of the Match award when Denmark beat Germany in the 1992 UEFA Euro and is Carlsberg's global ambassador for UEFA Euro 2012

Peter Schmeichel is even taller than Soren Ravn who seems to me to be like 3 metres!

The Polish and Ukranian ambassadors join Soren Ravn and Peter Schmeichel

A toast!

Kee Hua Chee in front of the UEFA Euro Trophy, brought into Kuala Lumpur for the first time at great expense by Carlsberg

Looking religious in his Buddha shirt, Kee Hua Chee prays he will be one of the 100 Malaysians to get to go watch the semi-finals in Donetsk, Ukraine end June

Swallowing a whole bottle of Carlsberg is a cinch for Kee Hua Chee

A bit of bling does no harm and Kee Hua Chee's green topaz perfectly matches the green Carlsberg bottle

One for the road

Supermodel Adrian Winson with his Carlsberg

Adrian Winson drinks as the jazz musician plays

Cheers from the Carlsberg team

Is that a plane or Superman or Super Beer?

Carlsberg has been sponsoring the UEFA Euro Football Championships since 1988. This year, the tournament will be held entirely in eastern Europe, the first time in history and marks the exciting growth of Poland and Ukraine. The 31 matches will start on 8 June and end on 1 July in 8 stadiums, 4 each in Ukraine and Poland so no country can moan about favoritism. 1.4 million tickets will be sold and up to 8 million visitors are expected to visit Poland and Ukraine to watch the 31 matches. Carlsberg expects to sell 1 million glasses of the world's greatestest beer at the stadium during half-time at the Finals. 

Now this calls for a Carlsberg!

Soren Ravn and Kee Hua Chee toast the UEFA Euro 2012 tournament!

Are You Fan Enough?

100 Real Fans to Score Dream Trip to UEFA EURO 2012™

KUALA LUMPUR, April 30, 2012 – With just weeks left in the countdown to UEFA EURO 2012™, football fans in Malaysia are taking their passion for the game and the country’s leading beer brand to new heights to show how fanatical a fan they are by participating in Carlsberg’s recently launched ‘Are You Fan Enough?’ consumer promotion.

Carlsberg’s latest addition to its ‘Are You Fan Enough?’ promotion involves fans submitting short videos online that creatively demonstrate how much of a die-hard football fan they are. Winners will join a 100-strong Carlsberg entourage on an all-expense paid trip to watch the semi finals live in Donetsk, Ukraine, making this the single largest group in Asia to set off for the tournament.

To inspire local fans to create their own videos, Carlsberg has kicked off the contest with a series of quirky videos currently posted on its ‘Are You Fan Enough?’ website that include one depicting a Malaysian fan of Wayne Rooney who ends up with a tattoo gone wrong and another on a fan who tries to outdo himself by juggling a durian as a football.

Carlsberg fans interested in participating in the online video contest need to submit a short video from April 23 to May 27, 2012. Videos must be tagged and shared with friends to secure votes. The top ten videos with the highest number of votes will each get one trip to Ukraine. In addition, the top five videos submitted each week will win a Carlsberg UEFA EURO 2012™ fan pack worth RM500 containing two Carlsberg jerseys, limited edition coasters and a crate of Carlsberg among other items. For more information on the ‘Are You Fan Enough’ consumer promotion and other activities, one can visit areyoufanenough.com.my, facebook/Carlsberg.MY or www.carlsberg.com.my.Bottom of Form

Soren Ravn, Managing Director of Carlsberg Malaysia, said, “We are pulling out all the stops to make the UEFA EURO 2012™ tournament unforgettable for Carlsberg fans and football fanatics in Malaysia. With football as part of Carlsberg’s heritage for close to four decades, we truly understand what drives the passion of fans for both the game and our brew. Taking 100 real fans to the centre of the excitement of the semi finals is our way of rewarding our consumers with a uniquely Carlsberg experience like none other. Now that calls for a Carlsberg!”

Besides the online video contest, there are more ways for consumers to win trips worth RM30,000 each to the semi finals in Ukraine via the ‘Are You Fan Enough’ promotion.

At entertainment and leisure outlets, consumers can participate by purchasing two jugs or two buckets of Carlsberg that will entitle them to an instant win card for a chance to win a trip among other giveaways. Consumers can also buy limited edition quarts of Carlsberg at restaurants, coffee shops and food courts to participate. If a ‘crown’ bottle cap liner is found, this too entitles the bearer to a trip, while at hypermarkets and convenience stores, consumers can purchase a six, 12 or 24 can carton to find a ‘singing’ can and be the 30^th caller to win. There are plenty of other great prizes to be won besides the trip, such as Carlsberg limited edition football jerseys and football figurines. 

David Sua Shang Toh, the first person to win a trip from the ‘Are You Fan Enough?’ promotion, says that this is a dream come true. “I am thrilled to be the first to win! Ever since I was young it has been my dream to experience a big international football match live and it does not get any bigger than UEFA EURO 2012™. This is going to be an unbelievable experience for me and I cannot thank Carlsberg enough for this opportunity.”  

Ravn added, “The excitement leading to UEFA EURO 2012 is definitely building and this promotion is our way of connecting with our consumers’ passion for Carlsberg and the beautiful game.  The world over, Carlsberg is the game’s beer of choice and it is undeniable that our brand and football make a winning team.” 

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