Brilliant:
Bobby Robson manages a pub football team filled with former England legends, including Bobby Charlton, Stuart Pearce and Chris Waddle, in the latest ad for Carlsberg in the run up to this summer’s World Cup.
The star-studded spot, developed by Saatchi & Saatchi, forms part of the £10.5 million World Cup marketing push for the Danish brewing giants, which attempts to “tap into the nation’s dreams of victory”.
The full three-minute spot begins with a sleepy Peter Shilton, England’s longest serving goalkeeper, rising from bed in preparation for his Sunday morning game. Peter Reid is seen sipping tea while Alan Ball sniffs his football socks.
Peter Beardsley is shown riding to the match on a bicycle, while Chris Waddle jumps into the back of a van with the rest of the players – but not before driver Jack Charlton teases him by pulling away as he tries to get in.
Terry Butcher then picks up some bacon sarnies on the way, before the scene switches to the dressing room with Stuart Pearce chastised by Robson for answering his mobile phone during the team talk.
The team are then shown playing a real match against lowly pub-standard competition. Despite Jack Charlton getting booked for a shirt pull, the aged yet still skilful legends beat the opposition soundly.
The ad ends with the victorious team sipping pints of Carlsberg in their local pub, “The Old Lion”. A voiceover says finally: “Carlsberg don’t do pub teams. But if they did, they’d probably be the best pub team in the world”.
Carlsberg, a founding partner of the new Wembley Stadium, is embarking on a huge World Cup marketing push in order to capitalise on the tournament. The brand is already the official beer of the England team and a sponsor of the FA Cup.