Carling has unveiled its first major marketing campaign since 2019 to shift its focus from the power of community to the power of friendship.
Created by Havas London, ‘We’re made by our mates’ is an evolution of Carling’s brand platform ‘Made Local’ that looks to celebrate ‘those little moments’ that make great friendships.
Launched in 2019, the original campaigns for ‘Made Local’ championed various neighbourhoods, communities and initiatives. This new execution however, seeks to raise a glass to the special relationships that persist throughout everyone’s lives.
The UK beer brand has created a number of affectionate, authentic, character-driven ads that all look to depict ‘real friendship’.
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The spots will feature alongside sports (including Sky Pubs) and other high-reach TV programming throughout the rest of the year.
The campaign will also roll out via VOD and programmatic video, as well as live activity around Sky Sports content on Twitter and the targeting of ‘engaged sports fans’ across Reddit.
“The strength of Made Local has always been in its genuine, authentic portrayals of the diverse lives of real drinkers up and down the country – but much has changed since we introduced the platform in 2019,” Carling brand director Lee Willett said.
“While we connect to the places that made us and what we did there, we connect because of the people who make those places. It’s that familiar, everyday, yet universal sense of community – and the friendships that underpin it – we set out to celebrate in this campaign.”
The films were created by Havas’ Jamie Starbuck, Lex Down and Dan Cole, and directed by Stink Films’ Tom Green who is best known for the BAFTA award-winning programme Misfits.
Havas London chief creative officer, Vicki Maguire, added: “There are few brands that boast such a unique place within British culture as Carling. And at the heart of that culture are the shared experiences we live with our mates. They are the bonds that shape us and make us.”
“We wanted to capture what those friendships really look like – which, in the UK, often means good-natured humour underpinned by genuine affection. We’ll all recognise these moments, because we live them up and down the country every day.”
